Even a small increase in cardiorespiratory fitness of just three percent reduces the risk of developing prostate cancer by 35 percent. This illustrates how important physical fitness is not only for men’s general health, but specifically for protection against prostate cancer.
A new study involving experts from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden examined the link between changes in adult cardiorespiratory fitness in men and prostate cancer. The results are published in the “British Journal of Sports Medicine”.
Weaknesses of previous studies
Although many previous studies have already shown that cardiorespiratory activity has a beneficial effect on the risk of various types of cancer, this beneficial relationship has not yet been clearly proven for prostate cancer risk, the researchers report.
Most studies only assessed the effects of physical fitness at a given point in time, and none of the studies examined the possible effects of cardiorespiratory fitness on the risk of developing or dying from prostate cancer, the team continued.
Analysis of a national database
To find out how cardiorespiratory fitness is related to the incidence and mortality of prostate cancer, the experts analyzed data from more than 57,000 men from a national Swedish database.
Information on physical activity, lifestyle, self-assessment of health, body mass and height as well as the results of at least two cardiorespiratory fitness tests on a stationary bicycle were available. Prostate cancer incidence and associated deaths were derived from national registries.
Change in fitness recorded
The participants were divided into three equal groups to investigate whether changing fitness compared to baseline fitness had a positive effect on the risk of prostate cancer.
According to the team, one group consisted of participants with low fitness, another group consisted of participants with medium fitness, and the last group consisted of participants with high cardiorespiratory fitness.
Almost 600 cases of cancer
Over an average period of nearly seven years, 592 participants were diagnosed with prostate cancer and 46 of them ultimately died from their disease.
The researchers found that a one percent annual increase in absolute cardiorespiratory fitness reduced the risk of prostate cancer by two percent, which unfortunately did not apply to death from prostate cancer.
Up to 35 percent lower risk
It also found that participants whose fitness had improved by three percent or more in a year were 35 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer than those whose fitness had deteriorated over the same period. the experts report in a press release.
Because this was an observational study, no causal factors could be identified. The results nevertheless underline the importance of cardiorespiratory fitness for the risk of prostate cancer and speak for promoting cardiorespiratory fitness to prevent prostate cancer, the researchers conclude. (as)