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There’s more and more research to show that active women are at a lower risk of breast cancer. Active women can have up to 25% lower risk of breast cancer than those who aren’t active. But why is this the case? A new study tried to investigate.
The science, it seems, lies in losing body fat versus losing weight. Preventing breast cancer, studies show, is all about body fat loss, since hormones in fatty tissue are what often can cause breast cancer.
Women who exercised 300 minutes a week and changed nothing else about their diets or daily lives experienced a 1% greater loss of body fat than those who only did the recommended amount, which is 150 minutes. This is significant since this study wasn’t looking to measure weight, only body fat, since body fat percentage is often linked to breast cancer.
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The conclusion isn’t all that surprising. While 150 minutes per week may be fine for its intended effect of staving off heart disease, it may not be enough for cancer prevention. This study hopes that people can start listing “cancer prevention” as one of the benefits of exercise at all ages, along with prevention of heart disease and diabetes.
There really is no reason not to get more than the recommended amount of moderate exercise, this is just another one. Anything that keeps people active is great, and if it prevents breast cancer in women who are at risk? All the better.
What do you think of this study? Do you think 300 minutes is too much to ask?
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