Study: Exercise Reduces Risk of Breast Cancer

Older women who exercise appear to be less likely to develop breast cancer than inactive women, according to researchers at Maastricht University in the Netherlands.

Researchers studied the exercise habits of more than 62,000 women ages 55 to 69 and over a 7-year study period, 1,200 women developed breast cancer.

In their report in the journal Cancer, researchers said women who biked or walked for more than one hour daily had a 19 percent lower risk of developing breast cancer.

"The results of the current study support the hypothesis that physical activity protects against breast (cancer) in postmenopausal women," concluded the researchers. "Physical activity is one of the few modifiable, protective factors for breast (cancer) and there are many other important health-related reasons to promote regular exercise."

Other Sources: Cancer