ObjectiveTo analyze the trend of disease burden of colorectal cancer (CRC) in China from 1990 to 2019.MethodsData was obtained from Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 (GBD 2019). Incidence, mortality, disability-adjusted life year (DALY), years of life lost (YLL), years lived with disability (YLD), and their corresponding standardized rate and annual average percentage change (AAPC) were used to describe the changes of disease burden of colorectal cancer in Chinese population between 1990 and 2019.ResultsCompared with 1990, the number of new cases, standardized incidence, the number of deaths and standardized mortality of CRC in China in 2019 increased by 474.03%, 144.01%, 230.14%, and 36.15%, respectively. The standardized mortality and standardized incidence of CRC in China had reached and gradually exceeded the global level since 2010. From 1990 to 2019, the overall standard incidence (AAPC=3.6%, P<0.05), standard mortality rate (AAPC=1.4%, P<0.05), and the standard DALY rate (AAPC=1.2%, P<0.05) of CRC in China showed an increasing trend. The incidence, mortality and DALY rates of males were higher than those of females, and gradually increased with age. Compared with 1990, the DALY, YLL, and YLD of CRC in 2019 increased by 134.3%, 127.69%, and 445.00%, and their corresponding standardized rates increased by 30.53%, 27.03%, and 187.29%, respectively, showing an overall upward trend.ConclusionsFrom 1990 to 2019, the standardized incidence rate and standardized mortality rate of colorectal cancer in China have had a continuously increasing trend, and males and the elderly are high-risk groups. To reduce the burden of colorectal cancer in China, effective measures should be taken for prevention and management.