Exercising to reduce cancer risk

Achieving greater-than-recommended levels of physical activity could help reduce the risk of digestive system cancers.

In a study published in JAMA Oncology, investigators explained that current guidelines suggest that individuals should complete at least 7.5 metabolic equivalent task-hours per week. Among a group of more than 230,000 participants, they analyzed whether leisure-time physical activity levels over time impacted the incidence and mortality of digestive system cancers — including oral, throat, esophageal, gastric, small intestinal, colorectal, pancreatic, gallbladder and hepatic cancers.

After a follow-up of 32 years, the investigators identified about 6,500 digestive system cancer cases and 3,800 deaths related to the diseases. Higher levels of physical activity were found to mitigate the risk of digestive system cancer incidence and mortality. Although optimal cancer reduction was achieved with 50 metabolic equivalent task-hours per week, completing at least 17 metabolic equivalent task-hours per week over a period of 30 years demonstrated notable decreases in cancer risk compared with minimal activity.

The investigators concluded that moderate levels of physical activity over long periods of time may be effective at preventing digestive system cancers.

Read more: JAMA Oncology

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