Cycling or jogging could reduce the risk of prostate cancer

New Delhi,UPDATED: Feb 1, 2024 18:28 IST

A recent study reveals that men can reduce their chances of developing prostate cancer by incorporating more cycling, jogging, and swimming into their routines.

Men who boosted their fitness by 3% in a year were discovered to be 35% less likely to develop prostate cancer than those whose fitness declined.

Researchers urged men to enhance their cardiorespiratory fitness, emphasising the crucial role of reaching moderate fitness levels in preventing prostate cancer.

Co-author Dr Kate Bolam advised men to choose enjoyable activities that elevate heart rate for a healthier weekly routine.

"The more intensive activity, the lower the requirement for duration and frequency," said the study’s co-author Dr Kate Bolam, of the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences in Stockholm.

She added, "The trick is to challenge your cardiovascular system regularly, so it improves to match the requirements placed on it. It could even be line dancing if that gets your heart rate up, and you have fun."

Published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine on January 30, the study, conducted by the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences, analysed data from 57,652 men.

Annual cardiorespiratory fitness tests, physical activity levels, height, BMI, lifestyle, and perceived health were scrutinised for each participant.

Over a seven-year follow-up, 592 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer, and 46 died from the disease.

Men whose fitness increased by 3% annually were found to be 35% less likely to develop prostate cancer, though their likelihood of mortality remained unchanged.

This research is the first to conclusively link exercise to a reduced risk of prostate cancer, challenging previous reports suggesting a slight increase in risk for men with higher cardiovascular fitness.