According to a large recent study, exercise reduces the risk of various cancer types. The researchers have even determined the exact reduction of the risk.
The study which involved 1.4 million people, showed that those who exercised the most, had lower risk of esophageal cancer by 42%, and of liver cancer by 27 % over a period of 11 years, in comparison with those who exercised the least.
People who exercised the most showed:
- Reduced risk of lung cancer by 26%
- Reduced risk of kidney cancer by 23%
- Reduced risk of stomach cancer by 22%
- Reduced risk of endometrial cancer by 21%
- Reduced risk of myeloid leukemia by 20%
- Reduced risk of myeloma by 17%
- Reduced risk of colon cancer by 16%
- Reduced risk of head and neck cancer by 15%
- Reduced risk of ACS by 13%
- Reduced risk of rectal cancer by 13%
- Reduced risk of breast cancer by 10%
Various cancer studies in Europe in U.S. were joined in a single analysis by the National Cancer Institute team. A compassion was made between those who exercised more than 90% of all other participants, and those with the least exercise activities.
The leader of the study, Steven Moore from the National Cancer Institute stated that the participants who exercised the most equaled just over an hour of brisk walking a day. The included studies involved strenuous exercise like running, and others which involved moderate exercise like strolling and swimming, and even vigorous yard work. The exercisers spent about 1 ½ hours of moderate exercise, which is about the average of America as a whole, such as weekly
walking.
American Medical Association's
JAMA Internal Medicine Journal published their report which showed that more leisure-time physical activity is linked to lower risk of total cancer by 7%. Moore explained for NBC News that exercise is beneficial in more ways, such as lowering the risk of diabetes, heart disease, increasing life span, and as it turns out lowering the risk of some types of cancer.
Their results confirm that these associations are vastly generalizable to various populations, including
obese or overweight people, and
smokers. The study which involved slightly overweight people has discovered that although obesity is a well-known cancer risk factor, exercise can protect even obese people from this deadly disease.
According to him, obese or overweight people might be encouraged by this finding to start being physically active. Moore explains that there are three ways in which exercise can lower the risk of cancer. It can reduce the hormone levels, like
estrogen, resulting in reduced risk of endometrial and breast cancer. It leads to improved insulin regulation and might also
reduce inflammation.
Strangely enough, but exercise proved to reduce the lung cancer risk, but only among former and current smokers. Researchers recommend using sunscreen if you exercise outdoors, since these exercisers have higher chances of melanoma.
They further stated that men who exercised showed higher chances of prostate cancer. Although there is no biologically rational explanation for this phenomenon, researchers explain that physically active men often visit doctors and undergo screening tests for this type of cancer, which might show slow-growing and harmless prostate tumors.
The team of Moore believes that exercises should be prescribed by doctors, as only about half of Americans do the minimum amount of the recommended exercise.
Via
Today
