(10-01-09) Study Shows Active People Less Likely to Develop Cancer

by David Gutierrez,
staff writer

People with physically active lives are less likely to develop cancer, according to a study conducted by researchers from Japan's National Cancer Center and Public Health Center, and published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

While a number of prior studies have suggested such a link, the current study is the first carried out on a non-Western population.

"There are a lot of physical differences between Asians and our Western counterparts," researcher Manami Inoue said. "Asians are usually leaner, with a lower body mass index."

Inoue noted that the study is also one of the few to look directly at how active people's lifestyles are, rather than at single markers such as leisure or time spent deliberately exercising.

"Our research looked at overall physical activity that people take
part in daily, and not just exercise that people take part in for leisure or
fitness," he said.

"There has been a lot of research done in the past on the
relationship between leisure and development of cancer in the West. However, our research is the first in Japan of its size and scope; we looked at overall exercise and labor, which is not only related to leisure."

The researchers surveyed approximately 80,000 people between the ages of 45 and 74 and calculated their individual working metabolic rates based on how much time they spent each day sleeping, sitting, standing, walking and exercising.

Those with the highest metabolic rates were found to have the lowest rates of cancer, particularly of the colon, liver, pancreas and stomach. The effect was most pronounced in women.

Research on Western populations suggests that one-third of cancer deaths could be prevented by better diet and exercise habits, equal to the proportion that is attributed to tobacco use.

The same lifestyle changes that are believed to reduce cancer risk also tend to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Sources for this story include: www.reuters.com; caonline.amcancersoc.org. - NaturalNews

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