Exercise is good for you. Everyone says so--it keeps your weight down, lowers your blood pressure and reduces your risk of heart attack or stroke. Research at the American Institute for Cancer Research 2011 Research Conference on Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Cancer serves as a reminder that exercise also cuts the risk of the 8-30% of all cancers that may be linked with being inactive.
In the Alberta Physical Activity and Breast Cancer Prevention (ALPHA) trial, postmenopausal women exercised for 45 minutes a day, 5 days a week for a year. In these women, there were reductions in adiposity, insulin, and leptin, all biomarkers associated with lower breast cancer risk.
In another study at the meeting, people who took regular breaks from sitting (even as a short as a minute) demonstrated falls in cancer biomarker risk, including waist circumference, insulin resistance, and inflammation.
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