Eat well, watch your weight, do self-exams once a month and get regular mammograms – these are the well-known basics for detecting and surviving breast cancer.
But according to a new study, there’s something else that needs to be added to that list.
Research was recently presented at the European Breast Cancer Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, following an extensive review of 37 studies involving over 4 million women regarding breast cancer risks.
The conclusion? That, according to preliminary findings, women who exercise more than an hour a day (yes, this includes walking) can reduce their breast cancer risks, regardless of their age or weight.
“These are all the studies looking at the relationship between physical exercise and breast cancer risk that have been published to date, so we are confident that the results of our analysis are robust,” Mathieu Boniol, research director at the International Prevention Research Institute in Lyon, France, said in a news release from the European Cancer Organization.
The researchers noted one caveat: that tumor type can affect how much protection daily exercise can offer.
“Adding breast cancer, including its aggressive types, to the list of diseases that can be prevented by physical activity should encourage the development of cities that foster sports by becoming bike- and walk-friendly, the creation of new sports facilities and the promotion of exercise through education campaigns,” Boniol added.
This research has yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal.
