LONDON – Dynamic exercise, in healthy and old women, can reduce the risk of breast cancer by 30 percent, researchers said.

A study conducted on more than 30,000 post-menopausal women showed that, intense physical activity ranging from housework to jogging protected against breast cancer even among those who don’t have a higher risk. The effect was clearest among lean women.

“We know that being overweight puts women at increased risk of breast cancer. What our study shows is that even among women without this increased risk, if they exercise they can get some benefit.” said Michael Leitzmann, who led the study.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide, according to the American Cancer Society. The group estimates about 465,000 women died of breast cancer globally in 2007 and 1.3 million new cases were diagnosed.

Leitzmann used questionnaires to find out, how often the women exercised vigorously. All participants were healthy when the study started. After 11 years, researchers found that overall the volunteers who exercised, were 13 percent less prone to have developed breast cancer.

The reduced risk was even higher, up to 30 percent, when the researchers compared only women of standard weight. “The relationship was much stronger among leaner women,” he added.

The researchers did not look at why exercise reduce cancer risk but Leitzmann explained that, previous studies have shown that exercise reduces estrogen levels, a known risk factor for the disease and protects the body’s general immunity.

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