By Catherine Wolf, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – A new study says exercise may help reduce the chances of getting colon cancer. Washington University School of Medicine and Harvard University researchers conducted the study. They looked at data from several decades that examined how exercise affects colon cancer risk.
The study's lead author, Dr. Kathleen Wolin, says results showed that people who exercised the most were 24 percent less likely to develop colon cancer.
"I think it's, you know, another piece of evidence that suggests that you can make lifestyle choices to reduce your risk of colon cancer. And one way of doing that is to engage in physical activity on a regular basis."
Wolin says how long one exercises is more important than the type of exercise performed. She says the benefits of exercise are the same for men and women.
Colon cancer is the third most common cancer in the U.S. More than 100,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with colon cancer each year.