We all know that staying active is good for our health. But did you know it's one of the best things you can do to protect yourself from breast cancer.
Breast cancer is the cancer most likely to affect American women. Many of the things that affect our chances of getting it, such as genes, race, and age of starting menstruation, are beyond our control. But there are ways we can reduce our risk.
Two new studies look at the way physical activity affects breast cancer. One study concentrated on younger women, and found regular exercise from age 12 onward protects against early breast cancer (the type that hits before menopause). Another study summarized the results of more than 60 studies looking at exercise and breast cancer at any time of life. It confirmed that the most active women have a 25 percent lower risk of getting breast cancer compared with the least active women.
So what type of exercise works best? The good news: you don't have to be an Olympic athlete. Moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking, works almost as well as vigorous exercise such as running. Taking part in sports or other recreational physical exercise works a little better than everyday activities, such as household chores.
But the important finding is that exercise remains important as a weapon against breast cancer throughout life. Women who keep exercising after menopause reduce their risk of breast cancer the most. And keeping at a healthy weight also helps. Women who had a healthy weight and did plenty of exercise had the lowest risk of all.
Keeping active through life-from childhood to senior citizenship-reduces the risk of getting breast cancer by up to 25 percent. It's one of the best ways we can protect ourselves against this common cancer.
—Anna Sayburn, patient editor, BMJ Group
ConsumerReportsHealth.org has partnered with The BMJ Group to monitor the latest medical research and assess the evidence to help you decide which news you should use.
Read more on the health perks of working out, and on reducing your risk of breast cancer.
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