Walking each day at any speed lowers the risk of cancer

Cancer is one of the many health risks linked to physical inactivity, and it has become a growing concern in today’s sedentary world.

Most of us know that we should move more. Yet, with modern life keeping us in chairs and behind screens, the cost of sitting too much is steep – about £7.4 billion a year in the U.K. alone. But beyond the financial toll, it’s our health that suffers most.

Now, fresh evidence suggests a simple habit could make a big difference: walking. New research from the University of Oxford shows that taking more daily steps can lower your chances of developing certain cancers.

The study followed over 85,000 U.K. adults and found a strong connection between walking regularly and a reduced risk for 13 types of cancer.

Understanding the step-cancer connection

Participants wore devices that tracked how much – and how intensely – they moved each day. On average, they were monitored for six years.

The researchers spotted a clear pattern: the more someone walked, the lower their cancer risk. This link held up no matter how fast or slowly those steps were taken.

In fact, the benefits started to appear around 5,000 steps per day. Below that, there wasn’t much effect. But once participants hit 7,000 steps, cancer risk dropped by 11%. At 9,000 steps, the risk fell by 16%. Beyond that, the advantage leveled off, with only small additional improvements.

These numbers back the common advice to walk 10,000 steps a day – not just for heart health or fitness reasons, but as a way to lower cancer risk as well.

Pace doesn’t matter; movement does

Researchers also looked at how fast people walked. While faster walking was initially linked to lower cancer risk, this difference disappeared when total movement was taken into account. It turns out that it’s the overall amount of activity that matters most – not how briskly you do it.

Swapping sitting time for either light or moderate activity reduced cancer risk. But trading light movement for more intense activity didn’t add extra benefits. The key message? Just move more, at any speed.

What types of cancer are affected?

The experts looked at 13 cancers: esophageal, liver, lung, kidney, gastric, endometrial, myeloid leukemia, myeloma, colon, head and neck, rectal, bladder, and breast cancer.

Over six years, about 3% of participants developed one of these cancers. For men, the most common were colon, rectal, and lung cancers. For women, breast, colon, endometrial, and lung cancers were most common.

Physical activity showed the strongest protection against six cancer types: gastric, bladder, liver, endometrial, lung, and head and neck cancers.

Why this study stands out

Most earlier studies in this field have relied on people reporting their own activity levels. That method isn’t always reliable. People often forget or overestimate how much they move. This new study used wearable trackers, which gave a much clearer picture of actual daily movement.

It’s also different from research that focuses only on intense exercise. While hitting the gym can be helpful, not everyone is able or motivated to do that. The research suggests that even lighter movement, like walking, can reduce cancer risk.

Small changes add up

You don’t have to walk miles at a time to see real health benefits. Just 4,000 steps a day – roughly equal to two miles (3.2 kilometers) or about 40 minutes of light walking – can help improve your long-term health.

The good news is that you don’t need to carve out a large chunk of time to make it happen. These steps can be spread throughout the day, making it easier to fit movement into your routine.

Consider small adjustments to your daily habits. Take the stairs instead of the lift whenever possible – it’s a simple way to get your heart rate up. During your lunch break, step outside for a short walk to clear your mind and add to your daily total.

If you’re often on phone calls, use that time to walk around instead of sitting still while you talk. Even parking a little farther away from your destination can give you those extra steps that make a difference.

Incorporating more movement into your day, especially during middle age, can be one of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce your risk of cancer over time. It doesn’t require a gym membership or special equipment – just a conscious decision to sit less and move more.

A simple way to lower cancer risk

Of course, the connection between movement and cancer is complex. Scientists still have more to learn – especially about how different types of activity influence individual cancers over time.

But one thing is clear: sitting less and moving more really matters. You don’t have to run marathons. Just get up, take more steps, and you could be walking toward better health – one day at a time.

Details of the study are published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

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