The Medical Benefits of Exercise

Studies show activity is good for more than just fitness

New research shows that movement may have far-reaching benefits for health beyond the well-known cardiovascular benefits. In fact, a new study from the British Journal of Sports Medicine links exercise to significant reductions in risk of 13 different types of cancer.

We thought this would be a good moment to take a step back to look at exercise in depth and explore what research is showing are the real wide-reaching benefits of staying in motion.

Exercise Linked to Reduced Cancer Risk

Let’s start with the most recent study from the British Journal of Sports medicine. In it, the team analyzed the exercise habits of 85,000 adults in the UK and looked at the diagnosis rates of 13 cancers ranging over about six years.

Researchers found that the most active adults had a 26% reduced chance of cancer compared to those who exercised least. Even those adults in the second-highest-active group had a 16% reduced risk of cancer, which showed that you don’t need elite levels of activity to make a significant impact on your risk.

Small Changes with Big Impacts

Most impressive of all is the study showed that the exercise didn’t need to be intense to make an impact. The bar for exercise in this study was low and included activities as simple as cleaning or walking.

Higher daily step counts alone correlate to reduced cancer risk regardless of how fast or intense the movement was. Those taking 7,000 steps a day had an 11% lower risk of cancer, and those taking 9,000 steps a day had a 16% lower risk of cancer, as compared to people who took only 5,000 steps.

In other words, walking around one mile each day could reduce your cancer risk by double digits.

Benefits for Body and Mind

This new study is just one more that shows activity is good for more than keeping you in shape. It has significant benefits for aging, cognitive function, immune function, mental health, and even sleep quality.

In 2018, The Lancet Psychiatry journal published a study linking all types of exercise to fewer days of poor mood and a lower mental health burden. Even when researchers matched subjects for socioeconomic factors.

A 2023 review of studies on sleep going back a decade found that exercise improved sleep quality, helped people fall asleep faster, and could even help to treat insomnia which affects somewhere between 20% and 50% of people.

And when it comes to the cognitive benefits, exercise provides a variety of benefits: everything from short-term boosts in mental performance, to protecting against neurodegeneration, to actually increasing gray and white matter in the brain. An analysis of 58 studies even found that people who exercise have a 20% reduced risk of dementia.

How Much Exercise Do I Need?

The best part of so many studies on exercise is that we also know how much exercises is need get them. One recent 30 year study recommended that people shoot for 300-600 minutes per week of moderate physical activity or 150-300 minutes of vigorous activity.

This was the peak of benefit that led to the highest reductions in all-cause mortality, but exercising more didn’t point to a significant benefit exercising above it. And if 300-600 minutes sounds like a lot, just remember the study from the British Journal of Sports Medicine that showed that activities as simple as walking can be beneficial.

Looking for Guidance?

At True Health, we know that understanding the research and putting it into practice are two different things. That’s why a certified health coach is part of every True Health patient’s care team, guiding them with fitness inspiration, workouts, and ideas on how to integrate movement more into their lifestyle.

Want to learn more about how to unlock the health benefits of exercise and optimize your fitness? Schedule a consultation and we can talk about your specific needs and goals and how we can help.

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