The study1 analyzed data from 28,248 cancer patients enrolled in South Africa’s Discovery Health Medical Scheme. All participants were part of the Vitality health promotion program, which tracked their physical activity through fitness devices, gym visits, and organized events.
Researchers examined the relationship between physical activity levels before a cancer diagnosis and subsequent disease progression and survival rates. Participants were grouped into three categories:
Inactive: No recorded physical activity
Low activity: Less than 60 minutes per week
Moderate to high activity: 60 or more minutes per week
Results: more movement, better outcomes
Even modest exercise proved to be a game changer:
Two years post-diagnosis: 74% of inactive participants showed no disease progression, compared to 78% of those with low activity and 80% of those with moderate to high activity.
Risk of death: Those with low activity had a 33% lower risk of death from any cause compared to inactive individuals, while moderate to high activity reduced that risk by a remarkable 47%.
These benefits persisted over time: At five years, survival rates were 84% for inactive participants, 90% for those with low activity, and 91% for moderate to high activity.
The biology of exercise & cancer
How does exercise help? Researchers suggest several mechanisms:
The takeaway
As cancer remains a significant health concern, this research underscores the role of lifestyle changes in both prevention and management. While the study is observational and cannot definitively prove cause and effect, the evidence strongly supports the protective power of movement.
In a world searching for effective ways to combat cancer, perhaps one of the simplest solutions is right under our feet—just one step at a time.
