World Cancer Day 2020: Physical activity CAN cut your risk of cancer
Tuesday the 4th of February is World Cancer Day, where people, communities and organisations unite to raise awareness about Cancer and work to ensure it remains a global health priority.
World Cancer Day is led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). In 2019, they launched the new 3-year campaign, with the theme ‘I am and I will’ which aims to counter the belief that nothing can be done about cancer and calls for a personal commitment to help reduce the cancer burden.
This is a theme which all of us at KiActiv® are firmly behind and we believe that encouraging people to take more responsibility through lifestyle choices is a really positive step in this process and a vital aspect in achieving sustainable change.
Physical activity plays a key role in the prevention and treatment of many health-related conditions and has long been referred to as a ‘miracle cure.’ There is a growing pool of evidence highlighting the positive impact of physical activity on many different types of cancers. A recent study looked into the effects of physical activity on different types of cancer by monitoring the physical activity levels of 755,459 participants over the course of a 10-year period.
The results were astounding and highlighted the power of physical activity in significantly reducing cancer risk. Individuals who participated in approximately 25-minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each day cut their risk of the following cancers by up to:
- Male colon cancer: 14%
- Breast cancer: 10%
- Endometrial cancer: 18%
- Kidney cancer: 17%
- Myeloma cancer: 19%
- Liver cancer: 27%
- Female non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: 18%
In addition to this, the results showed a clear dose-response relationship between physical activity and risk reduction for breast, colon, endometrial, oesophageal adenocarcinoma, and head and neck cancer – meaning the more physical activity you do, the lower the risk of these cancers.
Dr Alpha Patel, a co-author of the study from the American Cancer Society, said: “The exciting thing about these results is that they demonstrate engaging in a short amount of regular moderate-intensity activity, like a brisk walk, can provide tremendous benefits for the risk of getting various types of cancer. That is good for many people who, when they hear they should exercise more for their health or cancer prevention, think that means something drastic like having to start training for a marathon.”
This echoes the core values here at KiActiv® as structured exercise is just one way of staying active. Every movement you make matters and through approaching physical activity with a multidimensional view, the opportunities to stay active are endless. For many of us, its likely there are already activities in our day which provide a good source of movement. This could be anything from housework to washing the car or even making a meal. It’s all about finding what counts for you and making the most of your movement!
Through using KiActiv®, individuals are empowered to self-manage their own physical activity which is an important piece of the puzzle in preventing and treating cancer, and for all of us, a step in the right direction to leading a happier and healthier life.
