Weightlifting Can Lower Colon Cancer Risk, Study Finds

Moderate to vigorous aerobic activity is associated with a lower risk of several cancers. But a new study has found that weightlifting can also help reduce risk for certain kinds of cancers. 
 
The study, published in the most recent issue of the journal for the American College of Sports Medicine, looked at the impact of weightlifting and cancer risk in 10 common types of cancer. 
 
Researchers found weightlifting significantly reduced risk of colon cancer. For kidney cancer, weightlifting caused risk to trend downward. For the other cancers studied, weightlifting had no statistically significant impact.
 
Weightlifting is associated with improvements in blood pressure, overall physical function and reduced risk of falls in older adults. But researchers say this is the first study they are aware of that points to possible benefits for improving cancer risk.
 
West Virginia has the second highest rate of colorectal cancer in the nation, beat only by Kentucky.
 

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, with support from Marshall Health and Charleston Area Medical Center.