More steps, less sitting may lower risk of death in older female cancer survivors
By American Heart Association News
Moving more and sitting less every day may lower the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and other causes for older women with a history of cancer, a new study suggests.
Researchers found that benefits maxed out at 5,000 to 6,000 steps per day and one hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day. But even walking fewer steps or exercising less than an hour per day could help.
The findings were recently presented at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology and Prevention/Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions in New Orleans. They are considered preliminary until full results are published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Cancer survivors face a higher risk of death from heart disease and stroke, according to an AHA scientific statement in 2019. Exercise, it says, can lessen the toxic effects of cancer treatment on the cardiovascular system and is also an essential part of recovery after treatment.
"Encouraging cancer survivors to be more active, sit less and take more steps every day could be a feasible approach for prolonging survivorship and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality," lead study author Dr. Eric Hyde said in a news release. Hyde is a research analyst at the University of California, San Diego.
The study found that at least one hour of moderate to vigorous activity each day, such as biking or brisk walking, reduced the risk of death from heart disease and stroke by 60%, as well as 40% from any cause. When steps were logged rather than time, the greatest benefit – a 40% lower risk of death – was seen at 5,000 to 6,000 steps before leveling off.
"Risk reductions were even evident when participants walked fewer than 5,000 steps per day," Hyde said.
On the other hand, sedentary behavior raised the risk considerably: Every 102 minutes of sitting time per day was linked to a 30% higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease and a 12% higher risk of death from any cause.
The AHA and federal guidelines recommend adults engage in moderate physical activity for at least 150 minutes each week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, or a combination of both.
The researchers used physical activity data from the Women's Health Accelerometry Collaboration, which combines two studies looking at the links between physical activity, sedentary behavior, cancer and death. They followed 2,479 postmenopausal women with an average age of 74 for about eight years. Half of the women had been diagnosed with breast cancer at least a year before enrolling, and the rest had other cancers, including endometrial, lung, colon and ovarian. Participants wore an accelerometer on their hip that recorded their physical activity and sedentary behavior for up to one week.
Researchers said their findings were limited by the lack of data regarding the participants' cancer stage. In addition, physical activity was measured only once after a cancer diagnosis.
"In future studies, physical activity should be measured at several critical time points, such as before cancer diagnosis, during treatment and after treatment, to clarify how these changes in behavior may relate to survival," Hyde said.
The results add to the understanding of how cancer survivors can better manage their health and live longer, said Dr. Keith Diaz in the news release. He is an associate professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University Medical Center in New York.
"While structured exercise remains the most efficient and effective way to improve your health, these findings highlight that walking – at any intensity – matters," said Diaz, who was not involved in the study. "The road to an active lifestyle is more accessible than we often assume, and the benefits are available to everyone, including people navigating life after cancer."
The results also show the health risks created by prolonged sitting and other sedentary behaviors, he said. "Many adults now spend the majority of their day sitting, not engaged in physical activity," Diaz said. "And for cancer survivors, this issue is likely even more pronounced due to the physical toll of cancer treatment and recovery."