Many men up their fitness game in their 40s and 50s to ward off the dreaded middle-aged spread and to protect their hearts, and now a new study has found high fitness levels in midlife may help men survive cancer.
So there's all the more reason to renew your gym membership.
The researchers found that men aged over 65 who were diagnosed with lung, bowel or prostate cancer, were 32% less likely to die from the disease if they had been very fit when they were middle-aged.
The authors, led by Dr Susan Lakoski, from the University of Vermont, wrote in the journal JAMA Oncology:
Tom Stansfeld, Cancer Research UK’s health information officer, says the study adds to a growing body of research into the relationship between physical activity and cancer.
“Investigating links between men's fitness levels and cancer risk, rather than just the amount of physical activity they do, is a new approach," Stansfeld told HuffPost UK Lifestyle.
"The results reconfirm the benefit of physical activity in decreasing men's risk of bowel cancer. In women, other research has shown that getting moving can reduce the risk of breast and womb cancers as well.
"Interestingly, the study also found a positive effect of fitness on reducing lung cancer risk, but more research is needed to understand this potential link better.
"Being regularly physically active is great for your overall health and, as this study demonstrates, has benefits far beyond the health of your heart."
Lakoski and her team used treadmill tests to study the cardiorespiratory fitness of almost 14,000 men in America. They then monitored the men's health between the ages of 65 to 71 years and six months.
The researchers also found that high midlife fitness was associated with a 55% reduced risk of developing lung cancer and a 44% lower risk of bowel cancer compared with men with low cardiorespiratory fitness.
However, no association was found between fitness levels and risk of developing prostate cancer.
The researchers believe that this may be because fitter men are more likely to request routine blood tests, creating a greater likelihood of prostate cancer diagnosis.
According to Cancer Research UK, experts estimate that more than four in 10 cancer cases could be prevented by lifestyle changes, such as:
* Maintaining a healthy body weight.
*Cutting back on alcohol.
* Eating a healthy, balanced diet.
* Avoiding certain infections (like HPV).
* Staying safe in the sun.
Lifestyle Risk Factors For Cancer
Smoking(01 of11)
Open Image ModalIt's no surprise smoking is the number one thing to avoid in order to prevent cancer. It's responsible for 30 per cent of all cancer deaths, and smoking can increase the risk of lung cancer, for example, by nine times. (credit:Hemera Technologies via Getty Images)
Secondhand Smoke(02 of11)
Open Image ModalEven if you don't smoke, you can be affected by those around you. People who are near smoking are 1.4 times more likely to get lung cancer than others. (credit:CMSP via Getty Images)
Excess Body Weight(03 of11)
Open Image ModalNot having a healthy body weight (defined generally as a BMI of lower than 25) can increase your risk for a variety of cancers, including esophageal, uterine, liver, kidney, pancreatic, breast and colorectal cancer. (credit:bowie15 via Getty Images)
How You Eat(04 of11)
Open Image ModalIt's a big yes for veggies and fruit, as well as fibre, but red and processed meat is what you want to avoid. While eating lots of fibre, for example, can help reduce colorectal cancer risk, eating the meats can increase it. (credit:Maximilian Stock Ltd. via Getty Images)
Drinking(05 of11)
Open Image ModalDrinking any type of alcohol — at all — increases your risk for head/neck, esophageal, colorectal, breast and liver cancer (and potentially pancreatic too). You can decrease the risk by keeping your alcohol use confined to one drink a day for women, and two for men. (credit:Roy Mehta via Getty Images)
Physical Activity(06 of11)
Open Image ModalGetting at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day is what you should be aiming for. Otherwise, you're at risk for colorectal cancer and could be setting yourself up for lung, uterine and breast cancer. (credit:Brent Winebrenner via Getty Images)
How Much You Sit(07 of11)
Open Image ModalWe've heard about many ways in which sitting is bad for your health, but this could be the scariest one. Sitting too much (which is different from having physical activity) can increase your risk for colorectal, uterine, ovarian and prostate cancer. (credit:Science Photo Library via Getty Images)
UV Radiation(08 of11)
Open Image ModalAny type of tanning increases your risk for skin cancer — up to 64 per cent more for squamous cell carcinoma. (credit:Bruce Yuanyue Bi via Getty Images)
Viruses(09 of11)
Open Image ModalHepatitis B and HPV both increase the risk for cancer, but there are vaccines that can help prevent them. (credit:Martin Botvidsson via Getty Images)
Radon(10 of11)
Open Image ModalThe presence of radon gas is associated with an increased risk for lung cancer — test your home to see if it's there. (credit:Zirafek via Getty Images)
Hormones(11 of11)
Open Image ModalThis one is a double-edged sword. For women taking HRT post-menopause, it can increase the risk of breast, uterine and ovarian cancer, but may help decrease the risk for colorectal cancer. Birth control pills, meanwhile, have been associated with an increased risk for breast, cervical and liver cancer, but a decreased risk for uterine and ovarian cancer. If you're concerned, talk to your doctor about options. (credit:Stephan Zabel via Getty Images)