People who are physically active enjoy a substantially reduced risk of developing an unpleasant form of cancer, researchers reported today.
The study in the British Journal of Cancer suggests that the most active people enjoy a 24 per cent reduced risk of developing colon cancer than the least active people.
Researchers analysed some 52 studies of the issue, looking at a range of different kinds of physical activity.
Walking five hours a week was rated as being physically active as well as going to the gym and running.
Researcher Dr Kathleen Wolin, from the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, Missouri, USA, said: "It’s very positive to see that exercise has such a clear benefit in reducing cancer risk and we hope it will encourage people to enjoy a healthy active lifestyle as well as treating it as a way to minimise their colon cancer risk.
"Once future studies have been done, we would like to go on and personalise these results further, taking into account the impact factors such as racial origin, weight and diet have on bowel cancer risk, so that we can make individual recommendations on how people can reduce their chances of getting the disease."
British experts said the findings highlighted the effect of healthy lifestyles in preventing cancer.
Sara Hiom, of Cancer Research UK, said: "Maintaining a healthy bodyweight is one of the best ways to lower the risk of bowel and other cancers – potentially helping to avoid an estimated 13,000 cases each year.
"Cancer Research UK recommends that you try to take half an hour’s physical activity a day, five days a week. This should be enough to leave you feeling warm and slightly out of breath and can include housework or walking briskly."
Physical activity and colon cancer prevention: a meta-analysis. British Journal of Cancer, 2009. KY Wolin et al.
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