In a new study, researchers found that fitness may help prevent or delay lung cancer and colon cancer.
They found that people who were the fittest had the lowest risk of developing the two cancers.
In addition, in people who developed lung or colorectal cancer, those with high fitness levels were more likely to survive.
The research was done by a team from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Currently, there is limited evidence on the connection between cardiorespiratory fitness and lung and colorectal cancer risk and mortality.
In the study, the team examined 49,143 adults who underwent exercise stress testing from 1991-2009 and were followed for about 8 years.
They found that people with the highest fitness had a 77% decreased risk of lung cancer and a 61% decreased risk of colorectal cancer.
In addition, in people who developed lung cancer, the highest fitness was linked had a 44% decreased risk of death.
Among adults who developed colorectal cancer, the highest fitness was linked to an 89% decreased risk.
This is one of the first, largest, and most diverse studies to examine the impact of fitness on cancer.
The team suggests that people should improve their fitness to protect their health.
Future work is needed to expand on these results and to determine if improving fitness can reduce the risk and mortality rates of cancer.
The lead author of the study is Catherine Handy Marshall, MD, MPH. from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
The study is published in Cancer.
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