A new study conducted by The Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences found a strong association between higher cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and a lower risk of colon and lung cancer in men.
It also showed an increased incidence of prostate cancer among men with higher CRF, though a lower mortality rate from the disease.
The extensive cohort study analyzed the fitness levels of 17,709 men aged 18 to 75 with a mean follow-up period of 9.6 years.
CRF was measured as maximal oxygen consumption, estimated using a submaximal cycle ergometer test.
During the study period, researchers observed 499 cases of colon cancer, 283 cases of lung cancer, and 1,918 cases of prostate cancer.
A total of 152 deaths due to colon cancer, 207 deaths from lung cancer, and 141 deaths from prostate cancer were also recorded.
Key findings include the association of higher CRF levels with a 2% lower risk of colon and lung cancer incidence, a 1% higher risk of prostate cancer incidence, and a 5% lower death rate from prostate cancer despite its higher prevalence rate among men with high CRF.
Higher CRF also corresponded to a 2% lower risk of death from colon cancer and a 3% lower risk of lung cancer.
When considering younger, non-smoking individuals with healthy BMI and the highest CRF, the cancer hazard risk was even lower. In a theoretical calculation, the authors suggested that avoiding very low CRF levels could prevent 4% to 8% of all colon cancer cases, 4% of all lung cancer deaths, and 4% to 19% of deaths from prostate cancer.
The researchers distinguished between the behavior of physical activity, which is typically self-reported and subjective, and CRF, which is an objective measure of the body’s physiological response.
Higher-intensity physical activity can potentially increase CRF and offer more protection against the risk of developing and dying from certain cancers.
The study’s findings underline the importance of maintaining high CRF levels as a potentially protective measure against certain cancers.
It also highlights the need for further research into the relationship between physical fitness and cancer, especially given the observed higher incidence of prostate cancer in men with higher CRF.
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The study was published in JAMA Network Open. Follow us on Twitter for more articles about this topic.
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