Part of today’s headline is old news. Exercise lowers the risk of lung cancer in men. But I’m one of those practical people that want more than a generality. Exactly what should men be doing to lower their risk? How intense should they work out, for how long, and what kinds of activities? A new study is the first to give me the hands on information I have wanted to share.
Researchers in Finland looked at a group of over 2500 middle-aged men over time, and ranked their exercise intensity alongside their chance of dying from cancer. The men who exercised more intensely were much less likely to die from lung cancer, and cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.
Now the numbers with a little explanation. Men who had an increase of 1.2 METs in metabolic activity were only half as likely to develop lung cancer and die. A “MET” is a metabolic equivalent, and for those who enjoy math, this means an increase of about one standard deviation in activity. For those who cringe at mathematical equations, think of this as the academic equivalent of raising your grade point average from a C to a B.
The average intensity of exercise among the group was 4.5 METS, and those men averaging 5.3 METS for 30 minutes a day, were much less likely to die from lung cancer than those averaging 3.7 METS. How can you “get” 5.3 METS per day?
The best exercise is something that you enjoy doing, that you want to do regularly, something that can become a habit (and we are told that to develop a habit, you should aim at doing it daily for at least 21 days). If you want to aim at the goal of 5.3 METs here are some examples:
- Walking – 4.2 METS
- Yardwork and gardening – 4.3 METS
- Bicycling – 5.1 METS
- Swimming – 5.4 METS
- Jogging – 10.1 METS
And now for women who want to lower their risk. This study was done only on men, but I’d like to think there are some similarities between the sexes. And just to prove it, I’m off to go jogging.
Further Reading
Photo: flickr.com, user Tobyotter
Source:
Laukkanen, J. et al. Intensity of leisure-time activity and cancer mortality in men. British Journal of Sports Medicine. Published Online First 28 July 2009. doi: 10.1136/bjsm.2008.056713.
