Could your daily activity play a role in risk of developing breast cancer

Moving about and staying active keeps people healthy, and now a new study found that it may reduce the risk of invasive breast cancer in women.

Researchers examined the routine activities in nearly 100,000 women aged 50 to 71 years old. They found that increases in routine activity during the day, like biking to work or walking a lot throughout the day, may be protective against developing breast cancer. Women who reported heavy lifting as a part of their regular routine had a 38 percent lower risk of breast cancer compared to those who are inactive most of their day.

Sedentary behavior may lead to insulin sensitivity, fat storage, and estrogen changes and all of these factors have been shown to be relevant in breast cancer development. Researchers said that many postmenopausal women do not reach the physical activity levels for cancer prevention, so working physical activity into a normal routine may be a good way to reduce the risk of breast cancer.