Moderate Exercise Major Factor in Reducing Breast Cancer Risk

Felice Austin, 31, emerges from the surf in Manhattan Beach, Calif. To reduce her risk of breast cancer, she does aerobic activities including surfing, biking and roller skating most days of the week. Ann Johansson / for msnbc.com RedTracker| A study sponsored by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research found that exercising more, eating healthier and keeping weight in check could prevent as many as 38 percent of breast cancer cases in the United States.

In another recent study researchers examined 14,000 women with no history of breast cancer. Women who were moderately fit, meaning that they did moderate-intensity exercise like brisk walking 150 minutes per week or vigorous aerobic activity like jogging for 75 minutes each week, had a one-third lower risk of developing breast cancer. via MSNBC

Women with even higher levels of fitness in the study, doing twice the activity, experienced a 55 percent lower rate of breast cancer.

“A sedentary lifestyle is a risk factor for breast cancer, even among women who aren’t overweight,” says Dr. Michael F. Leitzmann, a professor of epidemiology and preventive medicine at Regensburg University Medical Center in Regensburg, Germany. via MSNBC