They say exercise is nature’s medicine–and now, those effects run more than skin deep.
According to new research presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago, women over 40 who stayed physically active reduced their risk of lung and breast cancer later in life. It was significant too–in one study, it reduced their breast cancer risk by as much as 31 percent.
Those are major findings, say researchers.
“This reduction occurred irrespective of the type of physical activity, the place of residence, obesity and menopausal status,” says Cecile Pizot, lead author of the research and a biostatistician from the International Prevention Research Institute in Lyon, France. “Also, breast cancer risk seems to decline with increasing physical activity, and we observed no threshold. Overall, a sedentary woman who began engaging in four to seven hours a week of mainly vigorous physical activity seemed to reduce her risk of breast cancer by 31 percent.”
The research presented at the meeting involved two studies involving more than 4 million women, all of whom were described to be at least middle-aged. For the first study, researchers looked at the exercise habits of postmenopausal women and compared it to the rates of physical activity diagnosed within the group. The research involved around 132,000 women.
Not surprisingly, those who spent more minutes of their day staying physically active–but not necessarily exercising–were the least likely to develop or die from lung cancer.
For the second study, researchers reviewed 38 studies which examined over 4 million women with or without breast cancer, also including information on their exercise habits. Once again, researchers compared their rate of exercise with the amount of breast cancer cases recorded, and there was a huge difference: Those with the highest levels of activity were 20 percent less likely to have cancer. Those who benefited the most were those who vigorously exercised for at least four hours per week, decreasing their risk by 31 percent.
While both studies did not evaluate women on an individual basis, it still shows a strong trend: Exercise helps women avoid cancer.
“I’m sure it involves multiple factors,” says Gregory Masters, a Helen F. Graham Cancer Center oncologist, who also helped research the study. “For example, exercise reduces inflammation in the body, boosts the immune system and lowers body weight, all of which have been previously shown to limit overall cancer risk.”
So if you aren’t already physically active, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to start.
What This Means For You
Want to lower your risk of lung and breast cancer by as much as 31 percent? Then it’s time to get active–just four hours of vigorous activity per week could keep help ward off both diseases, according to research.
Readers: What is your current exercise routine?
Source:
Exercise May Blunt a Woman’s Risk of Lung and Breast Cancer: Two Studies – HealthDay.com
About The Author: Zero to Hero Fitness!
Our mission at Zero to Hero Fitness is to help you to finally lose the weight and keep it off, strengthen your body and mind, and experience naturally high levels of energy throughout the day. We believe everyone, regardless of your past or current struggles with your health or fitness, can greatly improve on your existing condition and live life in your best body possible.