Research
Energy balance
Physical activity reduces cancer risk independently of its effect on body weight, through mechanisms like improved immune regulation and reduced oxidative stress.
Regular physical activity lowers your risk of breast and colon cancer, even if you don't lose weight. It works through mechanisms like better immune function and less inflammation.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
A 2020 MR study using data from the UK Biobank showed that physical activity is inversely associated with breast and colon cancer independent of its effect on adiposity, and the association between physical activity and cancer incidence at ten sites was shown to be independent of BMI.
Why this rating
Supported by Mendelian Randomization studies and observational data.
Source
Cancer prevention through weight control—where are we in 2020?
Annie S. Anderson et al. · British Journal of Cancer · 2020
DOI 10.1038/s41416-020-01154-3
narrative_reviewCited 34×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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