What’s the Link to Cancer?
Being physically active is a powerful way to reduce your risk of getting cancer. The proof is especially strong for some of the most common cancers in Alberta.
Compared with inactive people, people who are physically active are:
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About 25% less likely to develop colon cancer.
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About 30% less likely to develop breast cancer. The evidence is strongest for women who have been through menopause.
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About 30% less likely to develop endometrial cancer (cancer of the lining of the uterus).
The evidence also suggests that regular physical activity likely protects against prostate and lung cancer.
How Does Being Active Help Reduce My Risk of Cancer
Physical activity helps your body regulate the effects of insulin and steroid hormones, making it less likely that tumours develop. And physical activity improves your immune system’s ability to deal with inflammation and tumours when they arise.
By helping to speed up the digestive process, regular physical activity also protects you from colon cancer by reducing the time the colon is exposed to cancer-causing agents in the stool.
Another way physical activity reduces your cancer risk is by helping with weight control. Being overweight increases your chances of getting cancer.
How Active Should I Be?
The Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines recommend the following for adults:
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Accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity to vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week, in bouts of 10 minutes or more.
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Add muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening activities using major muscle groups at least 2 days per week.
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Older adults with poor mobility should perform physical activities to enhance balance and prevent falls.
The exact amount of physical activity needed to reduce cancer risk is being studied around the world and right here in Alberta.
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One study found that each extra hour of physical activity per week is linked with a 6% decrease in breast cancer risk (Monninkhof et al., 2007).
As the Canadian Physical Activity Guideline suggests, more daily activity provides greater health benefits. The more intense and consistent the activity, the lower your cancer risk is likely to be.
Limiting sedentary behaviour is also important for reducing cancer risk. This includes things like not sitting or lying down for long periods.
What else can physical activity help with?
The benefits of an active lifestyle build over the course of a lifetime, but physical activity at any age can greatly improve health and reduce your risk of cancer. Being physically active lowers your risk of many other health conditions that are important to Albertans, like:
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Heart Disease
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Type 2 Diabetes
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Stroke
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Depression
Research shows that physical activity can also boost:
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Mood
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Sleep Quality
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Energy
Tips for Getting More Active
In 2013, the Alberta Centre for Active Living found that only 59% of adults were physically active enough to gain health benefits. Alberta Health recommends the following 10 tips for making physical activity a regular habit in your life:
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Get started with some gentle stretching.
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Explore what types of community activities are available.
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Rely on the support of others – ask a friend to participate with you so you can encourage each other.
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Don't be overly ambitious, set realistic goals.
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Each day, pick a time that's convenient for you and commit to participating in some type of physical activity.
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Mark your activity times on a calendar.
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Try shorter, more frequent sessions rather than the occasional prolonged session.
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Make use of everyday movement opportunities such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
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Prepare yourself for a few lapses but don't give up.
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You cannot just eat your way to good health – exercise must go hand-in-hand with good nutrition.
Links to Helpful Resources
Alberta Resources
- Alberta Centre for Active Living
- Alberta Health: Physical Activity – Active Living
- MyHealth Alberta: Getting and Staying Active
National Resources
- Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines and Canadian Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines
- Moderate-intensity definition: Aerobic activity that makes you breathe harder and your heart beat faster. You should be able to talk, but not sing. Examples of moderate activity include walking quickly, skating and bike riding.
- Vigorous-intensity defintion: Aerobic activity that makes your heart rate increase quite a bit and you won’t be able to say more than a few words without needing to catch your breath. Examples of vigorous activity include running, basketball, soccer and cross-country skiing.