Study: Exercise Cuts Risk Of 13 Types Of Cancer
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - We all know exercise does a body good, but a new study found higher levels of physical activity lowered the risk of developing more than a dozen types of cancer.
The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, found that among more physically active people the chance of developing cancer of the esophagus was lowered by 42-percent and the chance of developing liver cancer was decreased by 27-percent.
The researchers analyzed data from 12 U.S. and European study groups who self-reported their physical activity between 1987 and 2004, according to U.S. News & World Report. Walking, running and swimming were among moderate and vigorous activities reported by those who took part in the studies. Researchers also looked at the time spent exercising on a weekly basis.
In addition to esophagus and liver cancers, moderate to vigorous exercise also reduced the risk of a type of leukemia by 20-percent and breast cancer by 10-percent. Overall, a higher level of activity was tied to a 7 percent lower risk of developing any type of cancer. Check their complete findings HERE.
In a surprise result, physical activity was linked to a 5 percent higher risk of non-advanced prostate cancer.
"There is no known biological rationale to explain this association," according to the study.
The study's authors noted that one theory that may explain this is that physically active men are more likely to be screened for prostate cancer. So it could be that early-stage prostate cancer was less likely to be discovered in men who don't exercise as much.