Post-menopausal women who walk for an
hour a day can cut their chance of breast
cancer significantly, a study has suggested.
The report, which followed 73,000 women for
17 years, found walking for at least seven
hours a week lowered the risk of the disease.
The American Cancer Society team said this
was the first time reduced risk was specifically
linked to walking.
UK experts said it was more evidence that
lifestyle influenced cancer risk.
A recent poll for the charity Ramblers found a
quarter of adults walk for no more than an
hour a week - but being active is known to
reduce the risk of a number of cancers.
Recreational activity
This study, published in Cancer Epidemiology,
Biomarkers & Prevention followed 73,615
women out of 97,785 aged 50-74 who had
been recruited by the American Cancer Society
between 1992 and 1993 so it could monitor
the incidence of cancer in the group.
They were asked to complete questionnaires on
their health and on how much time they were
active and participating in activities such as
walking, swimming and aerobics and how
much time they spent sitting watching
television or reading.
They completed the same questionnaires at
two-year intervals between 1997 and 2009.
Of the women, 47% said walking was their only
recreational activity.
Those who walked for at least seven hours per
week had a 14% lower risk of breast cancer
compared to those who walked three or fewer
hours per week.
Dr Alpa Patel, a senior epidemiologist at the
American Cancer Society in Atlanta Georgia,
who led the study, said: "Given that more than
60% of women report some daily walking,
promoting walking as a healthy leisure-time
activity could be an effective strategy for
increasing physical activity amongst post-
menopausal women.
"We were pleased to find that without any
other recreational activity, just walking one
hour a day was associated with a lower risk of
breast cancer in these women.
"More strenuous and longer activities lowered
the risk even more."
Baroness Delyth Morgan, chief executive of
Breast Cancer Campaign, said: "This study adds
further evidence that our lifestyle choices can
play a part in influencing the risk of breast
cancer and even small changes incorporated
into our normal day-to-day activity can make a
difference.
She added: "We know that the best weapon to
overcoming breast cancer is the ability to stop
it occurring in the first place.
"The challenge now is how we turn these
findings into action and identify other
sustainable lifestyle changes that will help us
prevent breast cancer."
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