Mya Nelson
Last week’s AICR research conference made a lot of news when experts released new estimates of how many cases of cancer Americans can prevent through physical activity.
One of the latest studies on the topic, highlighted at the conference, provided new insights into one way that exercise may help prevent cancer. The study focused on a well-recognized risk factor for cancer: chronic inflammation.
It was published in last month’s issue of Cancer Prevention Research.
The study included about 320 healthy post-menopausal women, most of whom were overweight. About half were randomly assigned to an exercise group. For a year, the women exercised five times per week, 45-minutes a session, at a moderate-to vigorous level.
And after the year, the women who exercised had lower levels of one key sign of inflammation – C-reactive protein (CRP) – compared to the non-exercisers. The more the women had exercised, the lower their CRP levels.
One possible explanation, the researchers conclude, is the exercise group lost more body fat and weight. Excess body fat increases the risk of seven different cancers, including post-menopausal breast cancer.
You can read more about activity, inactivity, and cancer through the press coverage that Glen highlighted.
And you can read more conference highlights here.
