MANILA, Philippines — Don't just exercise to get shaped abs, exercise to get rid of the deadly cancer.
A large new study conducted by researchers at the US National Cancer Institute found out that leisure-time physical activity combats 13 types of cancer.
To analyze the effects of exercise in human's whole body system, the group examined data from 1.44 million people, aged 19 to 98, from the United States and Europe.
The individuals were followed for 11 years and their physical activities, whether moderate or intense were noted.
No one had cancer at the time the study began, but eventually about 187,000 new cases of cancer occurred.
The study revealed that those people who had claimed to engage in moderate to intense physical activities had a reduced risk of 13 types of cancer compared to the people who were in the lowest 10 percent of their study groups.
Below are the 13 types of cancer and the percentage the risk is reduced for each category:
- Esophageal cancer, a 42 percent lower risk
- Liver cancer, a 27 percent lower risk
- Lung cancer, a 26 percent lower risk
- Kidney cancer, a 23 percent lower risk
- Stomach cancer of the cardia (top portion of the stomach), a 22 percent lower risk
- Endometrial cancer, a 21 percent lower risk
- Myeloid leukemia, a 20 percent lower risk
- Myeloma, a 17 percent lower risk
- Colon cancer, a 16 percent lower risk
- Head and neck cancer, a 15 percent lower risk
- Rectal cancer, a 13 percent lower risk
- Bladder cancer, a 13 percent lower risk
- Breast cancer, a 10 percent lower risk
Dr. Steven Moore, who led the study said that you do not even have to go to the gym to do exercise. The biggest exercisers got in the equivalent of just over an hour a day of brisk walking.
The study cited different ways exercise directly affects tumor: it lowers hormones that trigger breast cancer, helps the body better regulate insulin, and lower inflammation.
The study was published in journal, JAMA Internal Medicine.