Not only is consistent exercise -- even a simple, brisk,
30-minute daily walk -- great for your heart, your mood, and your
waistline, it can also stave off colon cancer.
According to a new study led by researchers at the Siteman Cancer
Center at Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish
Hospital in St. Louis, consistent exercise is associated with a
lower risk of dying from colon cancer.
The study is among the first to show that physical activity can
make the disease less deadly.
The Washington University researchers worked with colleagues from
the American Cancer Society and examined data from the American
Cancer Society Prevention Study II (CPS II) to look at whether
changes in physical activity influenced either the incidence of
colon cancer diagnosis or the risk of death from the disease.
The CPS II study included more than 150,000 men and women.
It turned out that those who exercised consistently for at least 10 years had the lowest risk of colon cancer death.
“People who were consistently active over the course of their adulthood had a lower risk of death from colon cancer than those who were sedentary,” says first author Kathleen Y. Wolin, ScD.
Wolin, assistant professor of surgery in the Division of Public Health Sciences, says the benefits of starting an exercise program include not just preventing colon cancer and death from the disease, but also reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes and other cancers.
She says the greatest benefits seem to accrue in those who have exercised for the largest percentage of their lives, but the exercise itself doesn‘t have to be long and intense -- even a half an hour a day will garner, what Wollin calls “enormous bang for the buck.”
“You go for a 30-minute walk every day, and you’re going to reduce your risk of a number of diseases. And in addition, our research has also shown that you feel better, physically and mentally, so you’re able to function better.”
Physical activity even can be beneficial for people after they‘ve been diagnosed with cancer.
“There is evidence that being physically active can reduce the risk of recurrence and death following a cancer diagnosis,” said Wolin. “So even those who haven’t been physically active can begin exercising after their diagnosis and see some real benefits as well.”
Maybe this new finding could make sticking to newly-made resolutions a little easier.
“People often wonder around the start of a new year whether exercise really will help them stay healthy or whether it’s already too late. It’s never too late to start exercising, but it’s also never too early to start being active. That’s the message we hope people will take away from this study,” said Wollin.
