Summary
This article reviews the existing epidemiological evidence on the association between physical activity and cancer. Relatively little is known about the role that increased physical activity may have in protecting humans from malignancy. Herein, studies are reviewed on the basis of the type of physical activity exposure studied: occupational or leisuretime. Results suggest that if any consistencies emerge, there may be a protective effect of increased physical activity exposure upon cancer of the colon, and no effect on cancer of the rectum, in men. Increased physical activity in women during college years may protect against certain reproductive system cancers. Methodological deficiencies in assessment of physical activity (total exposure over lifetime) and in lack of control for other potential explanations block further, more solid conclusions. The fact that an association has been demonstrated in spite of these drawbacks, however, indicates the importance of further study. Suggested directions for future work are presented.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Armstrong B, Doll R. Environmental factors and cancer incidence and mortality in different countries, with special reference to dietary practices. International Journal of Cancer 15: 617–631, 1975
Blair SN, Ellsworth NM, Haskell WL, Stern MP, Farquhar JW, et al. Comparison of nutrient intake in middle-aged men and women runners and controls. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 13: 310–315, 1981
Blair SN, Goodyear NN, Gibbons LW, Cooper KH. Physical fitness and incidence of hypertension in health normotensive men and women. Journal of the American Medical Association 252: 487–490, 1984
Blair SN, Jacobs DR, Powell KE. Relationships between exercise or physical activity and other health behaviors. Public Health Reports 100: 172–180, 1985
Bouchard C, Lortie G. Heredity and endurance performance. Sports Medicine 1: 38–64, 1984
Brill PA, Burkhalter HA, Kohl HW, Goodyear NN, Blair SN. The effects of previous athleticism on exercise habits, physical fitness, and coronary heart disease risk factors in middle-aged men. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, in press, 1988
Burkitt DP, Walker ARP, Painter NS. Effect of dietary fibre on stools and transit-times, and its role in the causation of disease. Lancet 2: 1408–1411, 1972
Caspersen CJ, Powell KE, Christenson GM. Physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness: definitions and distinctions for health related research. Public Health Reports 100: 126–131, 1985
Cordain L, Latin RW, Behnke JJ. The effects of an aerobic running program on bowel transit time. Journal of Sports Medicine 26: 101–104, 1986
Devesa SS. Cancer mortality, incidence, and patient survival among American women. Women and Health 11: 7–22, 1986
Drinkwater BL, Nilson K, Chestnut CH, Bremner WJ, Shainholtz S, et al. Bone mineral content of amenorrheic and eumenor-rheic athletes. New England Journal of Medicine 311: 277–281, 1984
Fishman J, Boyar RM, Hellman L. Influence of body weight on estradiol metabolism in young women. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 41: 989–991, 1975
Frisch RE, Gotz-Welbergen AV, McArthur JW, Albright T, Witschi J, et al. Delayed menarche and amenorrhea of college athletes in relation to age of onset of training. Journal of the American Medical Association 246: 1559–1563, 1981
Frisch RE, Wyshak G, Albright NL, Albright TE, Schiff I, et al. Lower prevalence of breast cancer and cancers of the reproductive system among former college athletes compared to non-athletes. British Journal of Cancer 52: 885–891, 1985
Garabrandt DH, Peters JM, Mack TM, Bernstein L. Job activity and colon cancer risk. American Journal of Epidemiology 119: 1005–1014, 1984
Gerhardsson M, Norell SE, Kiviranta H, Pedersen NL, Ahlbom A. Sedentary jobs and colon cancer. American Journal of Epidemiology 123: 775–780, 1986
Graham S, Dayal H, Swanson M, Mittelman A, Wilkinson G. Diet in the epidemiology of cancer of the colon and rectum. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 61: 709–714, 1978
Haenszel W. Cancer mortality among the foreign born in United States. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 26: 37–132, 1961
Hedfors E, Holm G, Ohnell B. Variations of blood lymphocytes during work studied by cell surface markers, DNA synthesis and cytotoxicity. Clinical and Experimental Immunology 24: 328–335, 1976
Howell MA. Diet as an etiological factor in the development of cancers of the colon and rectum. Journal of Chronic Diseases 28: 67–80, 1975
Jick H, Watkins RN, Hunter JR, Dinan BJ, Madsen S, et al. Replacement estrogens and endometrial cancer. New England Journal of Medicine 300: 218–222, 1979
Kark JD, Smith AH, Switzer BR, Hames CG. Serum vitamin A (retinol) and cancer incidence in Evans County, Georgia. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 66: 7–16, 1981
Kelsey JL. A review of the epidemiology of human breast cancer. Epidemiological Reviews 1: 74–109, 1979
LaPorte RE, Montoye HJ, Caspersen CJ. Assessment of physical activity in epidemiologic research: problems and prospects. Public Health Reports 100: 131–146, 1985
Leon AS, Connet J, Jacobs DR, Rauramaa R. Leisure time physical activity levels and risk of coronary heart disease and death. Journal of the American Medical Association 258: 2388–2395, 1987
Marcus R, Cann C, Madvig P, Minkoff J, Goddard M, et al. Menstrual function and bone mass in elite women distance runners. Annals of Internal Medicine 102: 158–163, 1985
Mausner JS, Bahn AK. Epidemiology: an introductory text, p.3, WB Saunders Co., Philadelphia, 1974
Montoye HJ, VanHuss WD, Olson H, Huder A, Mahoney E. Study of the longevity and morbidity of college athletes. Journal of the American Medical Association 162: 1132–1134, 1956
Moore JRL, LaMont JT. Colorectal cancer: risk factors and screening strategies. Archives of Internal Medicine 144: 1819–1823, 1984
Morris JN, Heady JA, Raffle PAB. Physique of London busmen: epidemiology of uniforms. Lancet 2: 569–570, 1956
National Center for Health Statistics. Annual summary of births, marriages, divorces, and deaths, United States, 1985. Monthly Vital Statistics Report 34: DHHS, Pub. No (PHS) 86-1120, Public Health Service, Hyattsville, 1986
National Research Council, Committee on Diet, Nutrition and Cancer. Diet, nutrition and cancer, National Academy Press, Washington D.C., 1982
Paffenbarger Jr RS, Hale WE. Work activity and coronary heart mortality. New England Journal of Medicine 292: 545–550, 1975
Paffenbarger Jr RS, Hyde RT, Wing AL. Physical activity and incidence of cancer in diverse populations: a preliminary report. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 45: 312–317, 1987
Paffenbarger Jr RS, Hyde RT, Wing AL, Hsieh C. Physical activity, all-cause mortality, and longevity of college alumni. New England Journal of Medicine 314: 605–613, 1986
Paffenbarger Jr RS, Hyde RT, Wing AL, Steinmetz CH. A natural history of athleticism and cardiovascular health. Journal of the American Medical Association 252: 491–495, 1984
Persky V, Dyer AR, Leonas J, Stamler J, Berkson DM, et al. Heart rate: a risk factor for cancer? American Journal of Epidemiology 114:477–487, 1981
Polednak AP. College athletics, body size, and cancer mortality. Cancer 38: 382–387, 1976
Pollock ML, Wilmore JH, Fox III SM. Exercise in health and disease, p. 59, WB Saunders Co., Philadelphia, 1984
Rook A. An investigation into the longevity of Cambridge sportsmen. British Medical Journal 1: 773–777, 1954
Shephard RJ. Exercise and malignancy. Sports Medicine 3: 235–241, 1986
Silverberg E, Lubera J. Cancer statistics, 1986. CA 36: 5–21, 1986
Simko V, Kelley RE. Effect of physical exercise on bile and red blood cell lipids in humans. Atherosclerosis 32: 423–434, 1979
Simon HB. The immunology of exercise. Journal of the American Medical Association 252: 2735–2738, 1984
Sorensen G, Pechacek T. Occupational and sex differences in smoking and smoking cessation. Journal of Occupational Medicine 28: 360–364, 1986
Sutton JR, Farrell PA. Endocrine responses to prolonged exercise. In Lamb & Murray (Eds) Perspectives in exercise science and sports medicine, Vol. 1, Prolonged exercise, pp. 153–212, Benchmark Press Inc., Indianapolis, 1988
Tannenbaum A. Relationship of body weight to cancer incidence. Archives of Pathology 30: 509–517, 1940
Taylor HL, Klepetar E, Keys A, Parlin W, Blackburn H, et al. Death rates among physically active and sedentary employees of the railroad industry. American Journal of Public Health 51: 1697–1707, 1962
Vena JE, Graham S, Zielezny M, Brasure J, Swanson MK. Occupational exercise and risk of cancer. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 45: 318–327, 1987
Vena JE, Graham S, Zielezny M, Swanson MK, Barnes RE, et al. Lifetime occupational exercise and colon cancer. American Journal of Epidemiology 122: 357–365, 1985
Washburn RA, Montoye HJ. The assessment of physical activity by questionnaire. American Journal of Epidemiology 123: 563–576, 1986
Willett WC, Polk BF, Underwood BA, Stampfer MJ, Pressel S, et al. Relation of serum vitamins A and E and carotenoids to the risk of cancer. New England Journal of Medicine 310: 430–434, 1984
Yu DTY, Clements J, Pearson CM. Effect of sport stress on lymphocyte transformation and antibody formation. Clinical and Experimental Immunology 28: 326–331, 1977
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kohl, H.W., LaPorte, R.E. & Blair, S.N. Physical Activity and Cancer. Sports Medicine 6, 222–237 (1988). https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-198806040-00004
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-198806040-00004