| Title: | A prospective study of physical activity and cardiometabolic diseases in association with cancer risk |
| Journal: | Communications Medicine |
| Published: | 25 May 2026 |
| Pubmed: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42185476/ |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-026-01665-9 |
| URL: | https://www.nature.com/articles/s43856-026-01665-9_reference.pdf |
Publication 19919
WARNING: the interactive features of this website use CSS3, which your browser does not support. To use the full features of this website, please update your browser.
Abstract
BackgroundMost physical activity research focuses on general populations, and its cancer-preventive benefits in adults with cardiometabolic diseases remain poorly understood. This study investigated associations between non-occupational physical activity and cancer risk in adults with and without cardiometabolic diseases (cardiovascular disease and/or type 2 diabetes).MethodsWe conducted a meta-analysis of individual participant data of 598,890 men and women, aged 35-70 years at recruitment, across six European countries from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) and UK Biobank. Participants with cancer at baseline were excluded. Physical activity was assessed at baseline using self-reported validated questionnaires. We used multivariable-adjusted Cox regression to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between non-occupational physical activity and the risk of physical activity-related cancers (a composite of 15 cancers), with a multiplicative interaction between non-occupational physical activity and time-varying cardiometabolic disease status.ResultsWe show that after a median follow-up of 11 years, 37,182 participants developed a first primary physical activity-related cancer (EPIC and UK Biobank combined). In the meta-analysis of both cohorts, a 1 standard deviation increment of non-occupational physical activity is associated with a lower risk of physical activity-related cancer, with HRs of 0.96 (95% CI: 0.93, 0.98) and 0.93 (95% CI: 0.91, 0.96) in adults without and in those with a cardiometabolic disease, respectively (all p-interaction ≥ 0.17).ConclusionsThe findings of this study suggest that higher non-occupational physical activity is equally beneficial for cancer prevention in adults with and without cardiometabolic diseases.</p>
34 Authors
- Alem Gebremariam
- Emma Fontvieille
- Quan Gan
- Laia Peruchet-Noray
- Roya Coutaz-Repland
- Hwayoung Noh
- Patricia Bohmann
- Hansjoerg Baurecht
- Michael F. Leitzmann
- Michael J. Stein
- Christine M. Friedenreich
- Béatrice Fervers
- Olivia Pérol
- Agnetha Linn Rostgaard-Hansen
- Julie Louise Munk Andersen
- Karen Steindorf
- Renée Fortner
- Matthias B. Schulze
- Calogero Saieva
- Salvatore Panico
- Matteo Franco
- N. Charlotte Onland-Moret
- Evelyn Monninkhof
- Jolanda Boer
- Marta Farràs
- Maria-José Sánchez
- Marcela Guevara
- Olatz Mokoroa-Carollo
- Sandar Tin Tin
- Alicia K. Heath
- Dagfinn Aune
- Elio Riboli
- Pietro Ferrari
- Heinz Freisling
1 Application
| Application ID | Title |
|---|---|
| 55870 | Obesity and cancer risk and overall and cancer specific mortality: the role of metabolic health and comorbidities |
Enabling scientific discoveries that improve human health