Physical activity may lower cancer risk

01 Feb 2022 by Ted Escobedo 2 min read

Here are a few more reasons to get moving. Research shows that people who exercise regularly appear to have a lower cancer risk. As we kick-off February, (officially cancer prevention month,) here are some cancers that can be avoided by light physical activities.

• Breast cancer: Similar large, long-term studies show that women who engage in moderate to vigorous exercise for more than 3 hours per week have a 30% to 40% lower risk of breast cancer. This applies to all women, regardless of family history or risk of breast cancer.

Some studies show that the higher the activity level, the lower the cancer risk. However, it is unclear whether a specific activity level must be met to reduce risk. Activity throughout a person's life is important, but activity at any age may help lower breast cancer risk.

• Uterine cancer: Some research has linked exercise to lower risk of uterine cancer.

• Lung cancer: Studies show that regularly active people are less likely to develop lung cancer.

Source: www.cancer.net

Colon cancer. Studies that follow large groups of people over time show that individuals who exercise regularly appear to have a lower risk of developing colon cancer. Although we do not know for sure that exercise itself is lowering the cancer risk, people who exercise regularly have a 40% to 50% lower risk of colon cancer, compared with those who don't exercise regularly. Some evidence suggests that people who are active their entire lives have the lowest risk of colon cancer.

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Fitness

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