Awareness of Colorectal Cancer Risk Factors and Prevention-Related Beliefs Among Adults in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Background/Objectives: Lifestyle factors (diet, physical activity, body weight) play a key role in colorectal cancer (CRC) prevention. This study assessed awareness, beliefs, and self-reported practices related to diet and physical activity for CRC prevention among adults living in Saudi Arabia, and examined demographic correlates. Methods: An analytic cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 544 adults (≥18 years). Measures included sociodemographics, self-reported height/weight (BMI), dietary and lifestyle practices, and beliefs about the role of a healthy diet and physical activity in cancer prevention. Associations were assessed using χ2 tests with effect size (Cramér’s V) and crude odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI); p-values < 0.001 are reported as <0.001. Results: Most participants reported consuming <3 daily servings of fruit (80.1%) and vegetables (69.9%). Overall, 41.9% of participants reported that their current fruit/vegetable intake did not meet minimum recommendations for cancer prevention, and 36.8% reported the same for physical activity. Overall, 80.1% believed that a healthy diet can help prevent cancer, and 79.4% believed that regular physical activity can help prevent cancer. Compared with females, males had higher odds of endorsing diet (OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.16–2.98) and physical activity (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.24–3.17) as cancer-preventive. Participants with a monthly income of ≥5000 SAR had higher odds of endorsing diet (OR 2.71, 95% CI 1.75–4.19) and physical activity (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.10–2.55) compared with those earning < 5000 SAR. Conclusions: Despite high belief in the preventive role of diet and physical activity, many participants reported suboptimal fruit/vegetable intake and insufficient activity. While these cross-sectional findings preclude causal inference, they suggest that health-promotion efforts may benefit from prioritizing lower-income groups and women, with an emphasis on practical approaches to meeting CRC-prevention lifestyle recommendations.