Cancer Risk Reduced by Good Cardiovascular Fitness, Study Finds
A large long-term study has found that being fit earlier in life is associated with a reduced risk of developing nine different types of cancer later in life, with the risk dropping by up to 42%. The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, analyzed data from over 1 million Swedish males between the ages of 16 and 25 over a span of five decades.
The research revealed that individuals with good cardiorespiratory fitness, which refers to their ability to sustain aerobic exercises like running, cycling, and swimming, experienced a reduced risk of lung cancer by 42%, liver cancer by 40%, and oesophageal cancer by 39%. The study also found a lower risk of head and neck, stomach, pancreatic bowel, and kidney cancer among those with higher fitness levels.
However, the study also noted a 7% heightened risk of prostate cancer and a 31% heightened risk of skin cancer among individuals with higher cardiorespiratory fitness. The lead researcher, Dr. Aron Onerup, suggested that more frequent prostate cancer screening and sunlight exposure might account for these findings.
While the study highlights the importance of fitness in reducing cancer risk, it does not fully account for other factors such as diet, alcohol consumption, and smoking, which also impact the likelihood of developing cancer. According to Dr. Claire Knight, senior health information manager at Cancer Research UK, these lifestyle choices have a more significant influence on cancer risk.
The study’s results provide a compelling incentive for promoting interventions to improve cardiorespiratory fitness in youth throughout their school and university years, according to Dr. Mark Hamer, a professor of sport and exercise medicine at University College London. However, other researchers caution against drawing definitive cause-and-effect conclusions from this type of observational study.
Dr. Onerup also noted that while aerobic activities are associated with a lower cancer risk, muscle strength exercises do not show the same level of association. This suggests that activities like running, biking, sports, and swimming are more likely to reduce cancer risk compared to resistance training.
Reducing cancer risk is not the only benefit of exercise, as it also has positive effects on emotional health and cardiovascular disease prevention. Dr. Onerup emphasized that any type of physical activity is better than none and that it is never too late to start exercising to reap health benefits.
To achieve optimal health outcomes, Dr. Knight recommended engaging in at least 150 minutes of exercise per week. She also highlighted that activities like brisk walking, cycling, or even doing household chores can count as ways to stay active.
While this study provides valuable insights into the relationship between fitness and cancer risk, further research is necessary to fully understand the mechanisms behind these associations and to account for other lifestyle factors that contribute to cancer development.