Exercise is widely known to reduce the risk of various types of cancers, such as liver, lung, breast, and kidney. However, many people find it difficult to engage in structured exercise due to the time commitment, financial costs, and the need to travel to a gym. These practical limitations make it infeasible for most adults to incorporate regular exercise into their daily lives. As a result, there is very little research on the potential of incidental physical activity for reducing the risk of cancer. Incidental activities refer to everyday tasks such as walking for errands, work-related activity, or housework that can be integrated into daily routines without requiring additional time, special equipment, or elaborate arrangements.
A recent study conducted with 22,398 UK Biobank participants aimed to investigate the health potential of brief bursts of vigorous physical activities embedded into daily life. These activities could include short power walks, stair climbing, carrying heavy shopping, active housework, or energetic play with children. The participants, who had never been diagnosed with cancer before and did not participate in structured exercise during leisure time, wore wrist activity trackers for a week to monitor their activity levels continuously and with high detail. The data collected allowed the researchers to calculate the intensity and duration of the participants’ movements.
The participants’ activity data were then linked to future cancer registrations and other cancer-related health records for the next 6.7 years. The analysis took into account other factors known to influence cancer risk, such as age, smoking, diet, and alcohol habits. Surprisingly, even though the participants were not engaged in structured exercise, about 94 percent of them recorded short bursts of vigorous activity. The majority of these activity bursts lasted up to one minute. The study revealed that engaging in just 3.5 minutes of vigorous incidental activity each day was associated with a 17-18 percent reduction in total cancer risk compared to not engaging in any such activity. Furthermore, half of the participants engaged in at least 4.5 minutes a day, which was associated with a 20-21 percent reduction in total cancer risk.
The study also examined the impact of incidental activity on 13 specific cancer sites in the body that have established links to exercise, including breast, lung, liver, and bowel cancers. The findings indicated that the risk reduction was even stronger for these cancers. Engaging in a minimum of 3.5 minutes per day of vigorous incidental activity reduced the risk of these cancers by 28-29 percent, and at 4.5 minutes a day, the risks were reduced by 31-32 percent.
It is important to note that this study is observational, meaning that it looked at a group of people and their outcomes retrospectively instead of testing new interventions. Therefore, it cannot establish cause and effect with certainty. However, the researchers took several statistical measures to minimize the possibility of reverse causation, which occurs when those with the lowest activity levels are also the unhealthiest and, therefore, more likely to develop cancer. While the study cannot explain the biological mechanisms of how vigorous intensity activity reduces cancer risk, previous early-stage trials indicate that this type of activity improves heart and lung fitness, lowers insulin resistance, and reduces chronic inflammation – all of which are risk factors for cancer.
There is limited research on incidental physical activity and its impact on cancer due to the reliance on questionnaires in most studies. These questionnaires often fail to capture short bursts of activity and are inaccurate in measuring the incidental activities of daily life. However, recent findings have shown promising results regarding the potential benefits of engaging in short bouts of vigorous activity throughout the week. Furthermore, another study conducted by the researchers found that daily vigorous intermittent lifestyle activity is linked to a decreased risk of death overall, as well as death from cancer or cardiovascular causes. These findings are significant considering that only 3 to 4 minutes of vigorous incidental activity each day were associated with these health benefits, compared to current recommendations of 150-300 minutes of moderate intensity or 75-150 minutes of vigorous intensity activity per week.
The study also highlights the potential of technology, specifically wearables combined with machine learning. The researchers used wearable devices to identify brief bursts of vigorous activity, demonstrating how technology can uncover health benefits in unexplored aspects of our lives. The future impact of such technologies in preventing cancer and potentially addressing other conditions could be immense.
The study emphasizes the power of incorporating short bursts of vigorous physical activity into daily life to reduce the risk of cancer. These incidental activities offer an accessible and practical alternative to structured exercise, which is often challenging for many individuals. The findings provide valuable insights into the potential of incidental physical activity and pave the way for further research in this area. As technology continues to advance, wearables and machine learning may play a crucial role in uncovering the health benefits of everyday activities and revolutionizing cancer prevention strategies.
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