For carriers, the risk of CRC increased by 30% for each 5 kg m–2 increment in BMI in early adulthood (hazard ratio, HR: 1.30; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.08–1.58; P=0.01), and increased by 64% for non-carriers (HR: 1.64; 95% CI: 1.02–2.64; P=0.04) after adjusting for sex, country, cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking (and the MMR gene that was mutated in carriers). This evidence concerns the gene MRC1 and colorectal carcinoma.