Exercise is known to reduce cancer risk — but that doesn’t have to mean hard-core gym sessions or long runs.
A new study led by Oxford researchers reveals that casual walking and other light-intensity activities are enough to lower cancer incidence.
The number of steps was found to be more important than the pace of the walk, they found.
Those who walked 7,000 steps per day had an 11% lower cancer risk compared to those taking 5,000 steps per day, and the risk was 16% lower for those taking 9,000 steps per day, according to a press release from the Oxford Centre for Early Cancer Detection at the University of Oxford.
Even shopping and performing household chores have been shown to reduce cancer risk.
Overall, those who had the highest total amount of daily physical activity were 26% less likely to develop cancer compared to those with the lowest amount, after adjusting for lifestyle factors, body mass index (BMI) and other health conditions.
The study, which was recently published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, analyzed activity tracker data for 85,394 people in the UK Biobank averaging 63 years of age.
They then compared that data with future cancer diagnoses in 2,633 participants over a nearly six-year period.
While previous studies have used self-reported exercise to determine reduced cancer risk, this one used “more precise data” based on wearable activity trackers.
“Our research highlights the importance of all forms of movement,” senior study author Aiden Doherty, professor of biomedical informatics at Oxford Population Health, said in the release.
“Whether it’s increasing daily steps, engaging in light activity or incorporating moderate-to-vigorous exercise, any level of physical activity appears to contribute to lower cancer risk.”
“Our findings support and enhance current national and international physical activity guidelines, showing that people who often engage in simple low-intensity activities, such as walking, have a lower risk of developing cancer.”
Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health and Fox News senior medical analyst, pointed out that cancer is linked to inflammation, which is linked to sedentary behavior.
“All kinds of activity, including walking, increases metabolic function and decreases inflammation,” Siegel, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
“The results of this study are not surprising and are in keeping with previous and ongoing research.”
In addition to Oxford Health researchers, experts from the National Institutes of Health and National Cancer Institute participated in the study.
Funding was provided by the National Institutes of Health’s Intramural Research Program and the National Institutes of Health’s Oxford Cambridge Scholars Program.