The research reviewed investigated how physical activity, both during reproductive years as well as after menopause, affected breast cancer risk (McCullough LE, et al. 2012). The researchers also evaluated how weight gain affected the risk of breast cancer.
We have all heard that physical activity and exercise is important, but a lot of people think that it only affects cardiovascular risk. This is far from the truth. Physical activity helps to prevent degeneration of muscle skeletal tissue; it has a profound effect on the biochemistry and affects the production of hormones, it even affects cancer risk.
The results of this study showed that the women in the third quartile of physical activity experienced the greatest benefits with an approximate 30% risk reduction for both reproductive and menopausal activity. It was found that weight gain increased breast cancer risk and it was also documented that substantial postmenopausal weight gain may eliminate the benefits of regular activity.
Regular exercise is definitely worth the effort.
McCullough LE, Eng SM, Bradshaw PT, Cleveland RJ, Teitelbaum SL, Neugut AI, Gammon MD. Fat or fit: The joint effects of physical activity, weight gain, and body size on breast cancer risk. Cancer. 2012 Jun 25. doi: 10.1002/cncr.27433.
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