Regular exercise is vital for a sound body and mind. It not only helps to maintain ideal weight and figure but also helps in fighting various diseases, like obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, etc. Research studies show that too little exercise is associated with an enhanced risk of cancer. Majority of the people are unaware of this association and depict no motivation to involve in physical activities.
A survey was conducted which questioned 360 participants about the three illnesses caused by reduced physical activity. Only 44% of the participants provided three responses to this question, out of which 66% correctly identified diabetes and obesity, 64% identified cardiovascular problems, 11% identified musculoskeletal problems, 8% identified psychological complaints and only 3% recognized cancer to be associated with reduced exercise. This limited lack of awareness among people is, in fact, disappointing, misleading them about their exercise routines. However, there is a limitation of this study that the survey questioned about the “illnesses”; the answers would have been different if the word “disease” were used.
Declined levels of physical activity are linked with diabetes, heart disease and excess weight by public health efforts, but no link between reduced physical activity and cancer has been elaborated to general people. People are unaware mostly due to the reason because they could lose weight from moving more, breathe harder and their heart pumps faster during exercise. These are all noticeable benefits, but the development of cancer due to low levels of exercise becomes less obvious to them.
After the establishment of a link between reduced exercise and cancer, people are now recommended to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week, such as riding a bike or walking fast. According to the National Cancer Institute, lower rates of breast, colon, and endometrial cancers have been observed with higher levels of physical activity.
Reference:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/lycopene
https://www.livescience.com/54749-exercise-reduces-cancer-risk.html
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