Being more active twice a day could slash the risk of developing bowel cancer. Researchers have found being active at two key times in the day cuts the chance of getting the disease by 11%.
And they believe highlighting set times when physical activity is “most beneficial” could lead to targeted cancer prevention strategies. The study used data from the UK Biobank, assessing 86,252 people aged between 42 and 79 who tracked their physical activity using a wrist-worn device known as an accelerometer.
Over a follow-up period of 5.3 years, 529 cases of bowel cancer were recorded. Scientists identified four activity patterns and found that two daily peaks in activity, at around 8am and 6pm, were “associated with reduced colorectal cancer risk, beyond the benefits of overall physical activity”.
Bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, can develop anywhere in the large bowel, including the colon and rectum. It is the fourth most common cancer in the UK, with approximately 44,000 people diagnosed each year.
According to Cancer Research UK it kills around 16,800 people every year. That is 46 every day, making it the second most common cancer death cause.
The study was led by Professor Dr Michael Leitzmann, chairman of the department of epidemiology and preventive medicine at the University of Regensburg in Germany, and published in BMC Medicine. He said: “Our study highlights that not only is physical activity important for reducing colorectal cancer risk, but the timing of peak activity throughout the day could play a crucial role.
“By identifying specific times – early morning and late day – when physical activity is most beneficial, our findings open new avenues for targeted prevention strategies. If confirmed by future research, this could provide a simple yet impactful way for individuals to further reduce their cancer risk through the timing of their exercise.”
Dr Helen Croker, assistant director of research and policy at the World Cancer Research Fund, which sponsored the study, said: “Being physically active is one of our cancer prevention recommendations, and we know that this cuts cancer risk. These intriguing new findings offer potential for developing more specific recommendations, including patterns and timing of physical activity, for reducing cancer risk.”
This post was originally published on here
