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Date: February 1, 2024
A new study published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine reveals that an annual increase in cardiorespiratory fitness by 3% or more is associated with a remarkable 35% lower risk of developing prostate cancer. While the study does not establish a causal relationship, the findings prompt researchers to advocate for encouraging men to enhance their fitness levels as a potential strategy to reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting men, and identifying risk factors for the disease has been a challenge. Previous studies have established the positive impact of physical activity on the risk of various cancers, but the connection between fitness and prostate cancer has been less clear.
The research team, drawing on a national occupational health profile assessment database, aimed to explore whether improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness over time could influence the risk of developing and dying from prostate cancer. The study included 57,652 men out of a total of 181,673, with data on physical activity, lifestyle, health perception, body measurements, and cardiorespiratory fitness tests.
Participants were divided into groups based on annual changes in cardiorespiratory fitness—whether it increased by more than 3%, fell by more than 3%, or remained stable. The study monitored participants for an average of nearly 7 years, during which 592 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer, and 46 died from the disease.
The results indicated that an annual increase in absolute cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with a 2% lower risk of prostate cancer. Moreover, participants whose fitness improved by 3% or more annually had a 35% lower likelihood of developing prostate cancer compared to those with declining fitness levels.
While the study acknowledges that genetic factors play a significant role in both cardiorespiratory fitness and cancer risk, the researchers emphasize the importance of cardiorespiratory fitness for prostate cancer risk. They suggest that encouraging improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness in adult men may contribute to reducing the risk of prostate cancer.
It’s important to note that this study is observational, and further research is needed to establish a definitive causal relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and prostate cancer risk.
