Physically active people are less likely than sedentary types to develop cancer, a Japanese research group has found.
Men in the most active group of people surveyed had 13 per cent less risk of developing cancer compared with the least active group, and women in the most active group had a 16 per cent lower risk than their sedentary counterparts.
“There has been a lot of research done in the past on the relationship between leisure and development of cancer in the West,” said Dr Manami Inoue, section chief of the National Cancer Centre.
“However, our research is the first in Japan of its size and scope — we looked at overall exercise and labour, which is not only related to leisure.”
Researchers surveyed around 80,000 men and women between the ages 45 to 74. The surveyed population was divided into four groups according to their ratio of individual working metabolic rate, determined by the amount of time respondents spent sitting, walking, standing, sleeping and exercising.
“Our research looked at overall physical activity people take part in daily, and not just exercise that people take part in for leisure or fitness,” said Inoue.
The results also showed the trend to be prevalent for colon, liver and pancreas cancer risks for men and the development of stomach cancer among women.
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