The one thing you’re probably NOT doing to reduce your risk from cancer
You keep an eye on your diet, get enough sleep and enjoy walking. But are you lifting weights? If not, it might be time to start, as a new study suggests people with good muscular strength are more likely to survive cancer.
Strong muscles are already associated with myriad benefits – including a healthier metabolism, reduced risk of falls and osteoporosis and a stronger heart. Last year, researchers found that lifting heavy weights three times a week around the age of 70 can preserve muscle function in the legs in the long term. Yet statistics provided by UK Active indicate that just 24% of women aged 19-65 meet the current strength-training guidelines of two sessions a week.
According to the latest research, published in British Journal Of Sports Medicine, strength and fitness are linked to a significantly lower risk of death from any cause in people with cancer. In fact, cancer patients with high muscle strength and good fitness levels had a 31-46% reduced chance of dying from cancer.
“Our findings highlight that muscle strength could potentially be used in clinical practice to determine mortality risk in cancer patients,” say the researchers from Edith Cowan University in Australia. “Therefore, muscle-strengthening activities could be employed to increase life expectancy.”
And let’s not forget the importance of maintaining a slimmer waistline. A second study, also published in the British Journal Of Sports Medicine, found having a smaller waist measurement, along with getting regular exercise, was far more effective at cutting the risk of cancer than doing only one or the other.
With the latest NHS figures showing that one in two of us will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in our lifetime, the latest study gives us another reason to prioritise getting to the gym.
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