A new study suggests that moving more and sitting less can help older women who have survived cancer live longer and reduce their risk of heart disease.
Researchers found that even moderate levels of activity—such as walking—can make a big difference.
The study, presented at a scientific conference by the American Heart Association, looked at how physical activity affects the health of older women who have had cancer.
It found that women who walked at least 5,000 to 6,000 steps a day or did one hour of moderate to vigorous exercise lowered their risk of dying from heart disease by 60% and their overall risk of death by 40%. However, even walking fewer steps or exercising for less time still had positive effects.
Cancer survivors are known to have a higher risk of heart disease and stroke. The American Heart Association has previously stated that exercise can help reduce the damage caused by cancer treatments and improve recovery.
Dr. Eric Hyde, the study’s lead author and a researcher at the University of California, San Diego, said encouraging cancer survivors to be more active could help them live longer and reduce their risk of dying from heart disease.
The study tracked 2,479 postmenopausal women, with an average age of 74, over about eight years. Half of the women had been diagnosed with breast cancer, while the rest had other types of cancer, including endometrial, lung, colon, and ovarian cancer.
Participants wore a device on their hip that recorded their movement for up to a week, measuring how much they moved and how long they spent sitting each day.
The researchers found that the benefits of physical activity leveled off after 6,000 steps or one hour of exercise per day. But even women who walked fewer than 5,000 steps a day still saw improvements in their health.
The biggest risks came from sitting for long periods—every additional 102 minutes of sitting per day increased the risk of dying from heart disease by 30% and the overall risk of death by 12%.
Health guidelines recommend that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. This study shows that even simple activities like walking can have a big impact, especially for cancer survivors.
Dr. Keith Diaz, an expert in behavioral medicine at Columbia University, emphasized that while structured exercise is the best way to improve health, any type of movement—even light walking—can be beneficial. He also warned that prolonged sitting is a serious health risk, especially for cancer survivors who may be less active due to the effects of treatment.
Review and Analysis
This study highlights the importance of physical activity for cancer survivors, showing that regular movement can significantly lower the risk of heart disease and early death. While high-intensity exercise may not be necessary, consistent daily movement—such as walking—can be an easy and effective way to improve health.
One key takeaway is that exercise does not have to be intense to be beneficial. Walking fewer than 5,000 steps still showed health improvements, and even small changes in daily habits can make a difference.
For cancer survivors, who often face physical challenges after treatment, this research provides hope that simple adjustments—like reducing time spent sitting and increasing daily movement—can improve their long-term health.
However, the study has some limitations. It only measured activity levels once, so researchers could not track changes over time. The study also lacked detailed information on the participants’ cancer stages, which could affect health outcomes. Future research should look at how exercise habits change before, during, and after cancer treatment to better understand their long-term effects.
Despite these limitations, this research reinforces the idea that staying active is key to living a longer and healthier life after cancer. Simple actions—such as walking regularly and avoiding long periods of sitting—can be practical, achievable steps toward better health for cancer survivors.
If you care about cancer risk, please read studies that exercise may stop cancer in its tracks, and vitamin D can cut cancer death risk.
For more information about cancer, please see recent studies that yogurt and high-fiber diet may cut lung cancer risk, and results showing that new cancer treatment may reawaken the immune system.
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