High levels of leisure-time physical activity associated with lower risk of 13 cancers

High levels of leisure-time physical activity were associated with a lower risk of 13 types of cancer when compared to people with low levels of leisure-time physical activity according to a study done by researchers at the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

The 13 cancers associated with a lower risk were:

• 10% lower risk of breast cancer
• 13% lower risk of bladder cancer
• 13% lower risk of rectal cancer
• 15% lower risk of head and neck cancer
• 16% lower risk of colon cancer
• 17% lower risk of multiple myeloma
• 20% lower risk of myeloid leukemia
• 21% lower risk of endometrial cancer
• 22% lower risk of gastric cardia
• 23% lower risk of kidney cancer
• 26% lower risk of lung cancer
• 27% lower risk of liver cancer
• 42% lower risk of esophageal cancer

Effect of BMI on cancer risk

Adjusting for BMI slightly modified these associations

Adjusting for body mass index (BMI) modestly attenuated these associations for several cancers, but 10 of 13 of the associations remained statistically significant after this adjustment.

“Associations were generally similar between overweight/obese and normal-weight individuals,” the authors of the study note.

Malignant melanoma (Skin cancer)

Exercise associated with 27% higher risk of malignant melanoma

High levels of leisure-time physical activity was associated with a 27% higher risk of malignant melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer.

Prostate cancer

Exercise associated with 5% higher risk of prostate cancer

High levels of leisure-time physical activity was associated with a 5% higher risk of prostate cancer.

Conclusion

Conclusion: Leisure-time physical activity was associated with lower risks of many cancer types

“Leisure-time physical activity was associated with lower risks of many cancer types,” the authors of the study conclude.

“Health care professionals counseling inactive adults should emphasize that most of these associations were evident regardless of body size or smoking history, supporting broad generalizability of findings.”

Reference

Moore SC, Lee IM, Weiderpass E, Campbell PT, Sampson JN, Kitahara CM, Keadle SK, Arem H, Berrington de Gonzalez A, Hartge P, Adami HO, Blair CK, Borch KB, Boyd E, Check DP, Fournier A, Freedman ND, Gunter M, Johannson M, Khaw KT, Linet MS, Orsini N, Park Y, Riboli E, Robien K, Schairer C, Sesso H, Spriggs M, Van Dusen R, Wolk A, Matthews CE, and Patel AV. Association of Leisure-Time Physical Activity With Risk of 26 Types of Cancer in 1.44 Million Adults. JAMA Intern Med, 2016 Jun 01; 176(6): 816-825.

Articles on the same subject can be found here:

• Cancer

• Cancer, Bladder

• Cancer, Breast

• Cancer, Colorectal

• Cancer, Endometrial

• Cancer, Liver

• Cancer, Lung

• Cancer, Multiple Myeloma

• Cancer, Oesophageal (adenocarcinoma)

• Exercise