The Importance of Physical Activity in Reducing Heart Disease Mortality Risk Among Women with Cancer
Click to start listening
Synopsis
A recent study reveals that engaging in moderate-to-vigorous physical activities, like walking, significantly lowers mortality risk for postmenopausal women with a history of cancer. Increased daily steps correlate with a notable reduction in all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality.
Key Takeaways
- Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is crucial for cancer survivors.
- Walking 5,000–6,000 steps daily can reduce mortality risk by 40%.
- Each additional 2,500 steps can lower cardiovascular death risk by 34%.
- Exercise is essential for recovery post-cancer treatment.
- Reducing sitting time can also lower mortality risks.
New York, March 10 (NationPress) Participating in moderate-to-vigorous physical activities such as walking may play a crucial role in reducing the risk of mortality among postmenopausal women with a history of cancer, according to findings from a recent study.
The research indicated that an increase in daily steps and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity correlated with a progressively diminished risk of overall mortality. The most significant advantages were observed in individuals who achieved 5,000–6,000 steps daily, resulting in a 40 percent reduction in all-cause mortality risk.
Moreover, each additional 2,500 steps taken each day was linked to a 34 percent decline in the risk of death due to cardiovascular disease. Cancer survivors face a heightened risk of mortality from cardiovascular conditions.
The American Heart Association highlights that exercise training is an integral component of cardiac rehabilitation and recovery post-cancer treatment. Exercise therapy can mitigate cardiovascular toxicity during cancer therapies.
“Motivating cancer survivors to engage in more activity, decrease sedentary time, and increase daily step counts could be a practical method for enhancing survivorship and lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality,” stated lead author Eric Hyde, a research analyst at the University of California, San Diego.
“This research aids in comprehending the physical activity behaviors of postmenopausal women concerning cancer survival,” he added.
The study monitored nearly 2,500 postmenopausal women aged between 63 and 99 over approximately eight years with a history of various cancers, including breast, endometrial, colon, lung, bladder, rectal, ovarian, and kidney cancers. The greatest advantages from moderate-to-vigorous physical activity were evident in participants engaging in at least one hour of activity daily, decreasing all-cause mortality risk by 40 percent and cardiovascular disease mortality risk by 60 percent.
However, substantial risk reductions were also found with levels well below one hour daily, as noted by the researchers. For instance, every additional 102 minutes of daily sitting correlated with a 12 percent increase in the risk of all-cause mortality and a 30 percent increase in cardiovascular disease mortality risk.
“Risk reductions were observable even when participants walked fewer than 5,000 steps daily, which is half of the often-recommended 10,000 steps daily benchmark,” Hyde remarked.
“Daily step counts serve as a crucial metric since they are easily grasped by the general public, can be of any intensity, and are tracked on wearable devices like smartwatches that are becoming increasingly popular,” he concluded.
The findings were shared at the American Heart Association’s conference held in New Orleans, US.
