Healthy living
Exercise and fitness
Elbow grease cuts cancer risk
Cleaning the kitchen floor and vacuuming the stairs may help reduce your chances of contracting some types of bowel cancer, according to a new study part funded by Cancer Research UK
Scientists looked at data from 413,000 people in 10 European countries and found that physically active people were 22 per cent less likely to develop colon cancer than more sedentary ones. The benefits were even greater if the active people were not overweight.
Housework can be just as physically demanding as a workout in the gym, and all kinds of activity cuts the risk of developing colon cancer, although not rectal cancer.
Dr Lesley Walker, Cancer Research UK's director of information, said: "This is a very large study which should remove any doubt about the benefits of exercise in relation to reducing the risk of bowel cancer. You don't need to join a gym to get the benefit of exercise. If regular brisk walking or going for a run doesn't appeal you can take a tip from TV's Kim and Aggie and do some strenuous housework."
Unfortunately, a new survey suggests that Britons are still not exercising as hard as they should. According to an Ipsos Mori poll, half of the population do not take part in any sport or active recreation and just one in five are managing the recommended 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise at least three days a week.
Bowel cancer facts
- Bowel cancer, often called colorectal cancer, is the third most common cancer in men, and the second most common cancer in women in the UK
- Two thirds of these cases are colon cancer (around 21,500) and one third are rectal cancer (around 13,300)
- In England and Wales the lifetime risk of being diagnosed with colorectal cancer is 1 in 18 for men and 1 in 20 for women
- If the cancer is caught at an early stage, around eight out of ten cases can be successfully treated. Nowadays, around half of all patients with bowel cancer are cured.
Information on this site is for interest only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult your own doctor about any specific health concerns.
