Reduce the risk of 7 types of cancer if you do this action every day
If the body is active for 2.5 - 5 hours a day at moderate intensity or 1.25 to 2.5 hours of vigorous activity, it will significantly reduce the risk of 7 types of cancer.
Health experts have long said that exercise is linked to a reduced risk of certain cancers. According to research published in the journalClinical Oncology, 2.5 - 5 hours of moderate-intensity activity per week (or 1.25 - 2.5 hours of vigorous activity) provides significant benefits.
Scientists reviewed nine studies involving more than 750,000 adults with an average age of 62 who answered questions about how much physical activity they did.
This is time spent on activities outside of work for the purpose of exercise, such as playing sports, exercising or walking.
Moderate-intensity activities like a brisk walk burn 3-6 times more energy as measured in “Metabolic Equivalents” (METs) than sitting quietly. High-intensity activities burn more than 6 METs.
Research shows that when the body receives the recommended amount of activity (7.5-15 hours per week, equivalent to 2.5-5 hours/day of moderate-intensity activity or 1.25-2.5 hours/day of vigorous activity) it significantly reduces the risk of 7 of the 15 types of cancer studied: Colon, breast, endometrial, kidney, multiple myeloma, liver and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Specifically, physical activity has been shown to:
- Reduced risk of colon cancer in men by 8% for 7.5 MET hours per week and 14% for 15 MET hours per week.
- Reduced breast cancer risk in women by 6% for 7.5 MET hours per week and 10% for 15 MET hours per week.
- Reduced risk of endometrial cancer by 10% in women with 7.5 MET hours per week and 18% if 15 MET hours per week.
- 11% reduction in kidney cancer risk if 7.5 MET hours per week and 17% if 15 MET hours per week.
- 14% reduction in risk of multiple myeloma with 7.5 MET hours per week and 19% reduction with 15 MET hours per week.
- 18% lower risk of liver cancer if 7.5 MET hours per week and 27% lower risk if 15 MET hours per week.
- The risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma was 11% lower in women at 7.5 MET hours per week and the risk was 18% lower at 15 MET hours per week.
The authors concluded that adults should engage in recommended levels of physical activity to reduce their cancer risk. Most adults can meet the recommendations by walking 30 minutes a day at a pace of 3 miles per hour (5 km/h).
