How exercise can lower your cancer risk
The University of Kentucky Public Relations and Strategic Communications Office provides a weekly health column available for use and reprint by news media. This week’s column is by Rachel C. Miller, a registered dietitian at the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 11, 2026) — Exercise. It can be hard for a lot of us to get started. Regardless of how you feel about physical activity, it comes with various benefits. One benefit of exercise that is not often recognized is its assistance in lowering cancer risk.
Research shows that adults who participate in greater amounts of physical activity have reduced risks of developing certain types of cancer. These consist of cancers of the breast, kidney, lung, colon, endometrium, esophagus, bladder and stomach.
How it works
Physical activity can help reduce the risk of cancer by lowering chronic inflammation and regulating hormones that contribute to the development of cancer. It also works to keep your immune system healthy, which can help fight abnormal cells before they progress.
Staying active also reduces the amount of time you are sitting. Research shows that higher amounts of sitting time increase the likelihood of developing certain cancers and health conditions. Also, exercise is known to aid in weight loss, which can positively impact cancer risk. This is important because excess fat tissue can contribute to inflammation, increased estrogen (hormone) levels and insulin/growth factors.
The good news
Any kind of physical activity is beneficial for your body. It is recommended that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity every week. Moderate-intensity activities include dancing, brisk walking (3 miles per hour), yoga, golfing and yard/garden maintenance. Vigorous-intensity activities consist of jogging/running, swimming, jumping rope and fast bicycling (10 miles per hour).
To put things into perspective, a recent study showed that the cancer risk of people taking 7,000 steps per day was 11% lower than those taking 5,000 steps per day. Similarly, individuals taking 9,000 steps had a 16% lower risk. The same study reported the individuals out of the sample with the highest daily physical activity levels had a 26% lower risk of developing cancer than those with the lowest daily activity.
Get moving
Exercise can be the difference that helps you avoid developing a cancer, one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Any amount of physical activity is beneficial — no matter how big or small. Everyone can start somewhere by setting small goals and gradually increasing activity levels.
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