In a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, researchers from the American Cancer Society revealed that one underestimated activity was associated with a significantly lowered risk of developing breast cancer after menopause.
The researchers found that simply walking for at least seven hours per week was associated with a 14 percent reduced risk for women who are sedentary to moderately active, while active women experienced a 25 percent reduced risk for developing breast cancer.
This finding is consistent with many other studies that show regular exercise and a host of other lifestyle modifications can help women lower their risk of breast cancer. Interestingly, this study found the exercise helped women whether or not they were overweight, and helped them even if they gained weight during the study.
Walking Seven Hours each Week Alters Hormone Activity and Insulin Levels to Slash Breast Cancer Risk
To conduct their study, scientists looked at breast cancer status and exercise levels in 73,615 postmenopausal women taking part in the CPS-II Nutritional Cohort Study. During the seventeen year study, 4,760 of the women were diagnosed with breast cancer. When the women were queried as to their physical activity, those reporting walking for seven hours per week as their only form of exercise experienced a 14 percent decrease in breast cancer incidence, as compared to those who only walked 3 hours each week.
Experts Recommend at Lease 150 Minutes of Moderate Level Activity Weekly to Reduce Disease Risk
The study leader, Dr. Alpa Patel commented, “Our results clearly support an association between physical activity and postmenopausal breast cancer, with more vigorous activity having a stronger effect.” The team found that exercise reduced the risk of both estrogen receptor positive and estrogen receptor negative cancers. This study did not provide a reason for the risk-lowering results that the study yielded, but researchers believe that physical activity regulates hormones including estrogen and insulin, which can fuel breast cancer growth.
Dr. Patel concluded, “Our findings are particularly relevant, as people struggle with conflicting information about how much activity they need to stay healthy. Without any other recreational physical activities, walking on average of at least one hour per day was associated with a modestly lower risk of breast cancer. More strenuous and longer activities lowered the risk even more.” Exercise physiologists recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity weekly, preferably spread throughout the week to dramatically lower the risk of breast cancer and virtually all chronic diseases.
As the incidence of breast cancer in American women continues to escalate at an unacceptable rate, millions of unsuspecting individuals remain fully unaware that they are able to dramatically mitigate the risk of this devastating illness by making any number of small lifestyle changes that could potentially save them from an early demise. The American Cancer Society provides statistics that show more than a quarter of a million women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, and 40,000 will die from the disease. Changes to diet and cosmetics use, limiting exposure to environmental toxins and more physical activity are all documented to dramatically lower the lifetime risk of developing breast cancer.
Sources for this article include:
http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/22/10/1906.short
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-10/aafc-wcr100113.php
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/266900.php
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131004090815.htm
John Phillip is a Certified Nutritional Consultant and diet, health and nutrition researcher and author with a passion for understanding weight loss challenges and encouraging health modification through natural diet, lifestyle and targeted supplementation. John’s passion is to research and write about the cutting edge alternative health technologies that affect our lives. Discover the latest alternative health news concerning diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia and weight loss at My Optimal Health Resource