Research
Mixed
Higher levels of physical activity are associated with a 10-24% lower risk of developing seven specific cancers (colon, breast, kidney, endometrial, bladder, esophageal adenocarcinoma, and stomach/cardia), with evidence strength rated as 'strong' by the Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee.
Engage in regular physical activity, particularly moderate-to-vigorous intensity, to significantly lower your risk of developing several common cancers. You do not need to be an elite athlete; even modest increases in activity levels compared to a sedentary lifestyle provide measurable protective benefits.
StrongSupportsHIGH confidence
The PAGAC review concluded that there is now strong evidence that physical activity lowers risk of seven types of cancer (namely colon, breast, kidney, endometrium, bladder, and stomach cancer, and esophageal adenocarcinoma)... The magnitude of associations varied from 10% to 24% lower risks (hazard ratios [HR], 0.76–0.90) of these cancers (Fig. 1) for higher versus lower level of activity
Why this rating
Based on 'strong' evidence from large pooled analyses and meta-analyses.
Source
American College of Sports Medicine Roundtable Report on Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Cancer Prevention and Control
Alpa V. Patel et al. · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · 2019
narrative_reviewCited 849×
Read the paper This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →