A 3% or more increase in annual cardiovascular fitness is associated with a 35% reduction in prostate cancer risk

It has been suggested that a 3% or more increase in annual cardiovascular fitness is associated with a 35% lower risk of developing prostate cancer, although it does not lead to death from the disease. British Journal of Sports Medicine.

This finding led researchers to conclude that men should be encouraged to improve their fitness levels to reduce their chances of contracting the disease.

Researchers note that there are relatively few known risk factors for prostate cancer. And while there is ample evidence of the beneficial effects of physical activity on the risk of some cancers, the association with prostate cancer is less clear.

Most studies published to date have assessed fitness only at one point in time, and no studies have examined the potential impact of fitness on both the risk of developing prostate cancer and the risk of death from prostate cancer. , the researchers explained.

So they wanted to use the national Occupational Health Profile Assessment database to find out whether improving cardiorespiratory fitness over time could impact these risks.

This database included physical activity, lifestyle, perceived health status, weight and height measurements, and the results of at least two cardiorespiratory tests measured by steady cycle rowing in 57,652 of 181,673 men. We have collected information about.

Annual cardiorespiratory fitness measurements, expressed as absolute and relative VO2 max (the amount of oxygen (in volume) your body uses during the most intense possible physical activity), increased by 3% or more per year; They were divided into groups according to whether they had decreased by 3% or more. 3%, or remained stable.

We then created three equal-sized groups of low, intermediate, and high cardiorespiratory fitness to assess whether changes in fitness for prostate cancer risk differed by baseline fitness.

For incidence analyses, all participants were monitored from the date of last assessment until the date of prostate cancer diagnosis or death from any cause, or December 31, 2019, whichever came first.

For mortality analyses, survival was followed from the date of second assessment until the date of death from prostate cancer, death from any cause, or December 31, 2019, whichever came first.

Over an average of nearly 7 years, 592 men (1% of the total sample) were diagnosed with prostate cancer and 46 (0.08%) died from prostate cancer.

After accounting for potentially influencing factors such as age, education level, year of test, body weight (BMI), and smoking status, each annual increase in absolute cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with a 2% lower risk of prostate cancer. but was not associated with death.

When participants were grouped according to whether their cardiorespiratory fitness improved, remained stable, or decreased, those who improved their fitness by 3% or more per year had lower prostate fitness than those who decreased their fitness. They were 35% less likely to develop cancer. Regarding potentially influencing factors.

When participants were grouped by cardiorespiratory fitness at the initial assessment, the association between fitness and reduced prostate cancer risk was statistically significant only for participants who had a moderate fitness level to begin with. (15% lower).

Because this was an observational study, the cause could not be determined, and the researchers stressed that genetic factors play a large role in both a person’s cardiovascular fitness and cancer risk.

However, they still conclude that: “Result is, [cardiorespiratory fitness] Prostate cancer risk has been difficult to determine in single-time-point studies.improvement [cardiorespiratory fitness] It may reduce the risk of prostate cancer and should be recommended in adult men. ”