Using information from wrist-worn accelerometers, researchers followed 22,398 non-exercisers’ health records for cancer for nearly 7 years while also tracking their daily intense activity.Engaging in just 4.5 minutes of VILPA per day, divided into 1 to 2-minute bursts of activity, is linked to a 32% lower risk of developing cancer.
There are many opportunities to engage in strenuous physical activity in daily life, such as power walking, lugging groceries, and climbing stairs. According to research, regular exercise can reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases like
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The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that those who are not sufficiently active have a 20-30% higher chance of passing away than those who are. Even though the benefits of physical activity are obvious, only around 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men globally follow the guidelines for 75 minutes of strenuous exercise or at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week.
1 Minute Exercise can Reduce Cancer Risk
Yes, you read that right !
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We can substantially reduce cancer risk by engaging in short workout routines. Just 4.5 minutes per day of vigorous-intensity physical exercise undertaken in 1-minute bursts was related with an up to 32% decreased risk of cancer, according to wrist-worn accelerometer data taken from 22,398 non-exercising people collected from the UK Bio bank.
The study, which was published in JAMA OncologyTrusted Source, was directed by Dr. Emmanuel Stamatakis, professor of physical activity, lifestyle, and population health at the University of Sydney in Australia.
Dr. Stamatakis stated in a press release that VILPA (Vigorous Intermittent Lifestyle Physical Activity) may be a promising cost-free recommendation for lowering cancer risk in people who find structured exercise difficult or unappealing. However, we still need to further investigate this connection through rigorous trials.
What is VILPA?
Short bursts of physical activity that are a regular component of our lifestyle (daily living) are referred to as Vigorous Intermittent Lifestyle Physical Activity (VILPA) by Dr. Stamatakis and his colleagues.
VILPA examples include, walking uphill, climbing stairs, power walking, carrying children or groceries for 50-100 meters intense housekeeping, etc.
VILPA differs from regular intense physical activity in that it is intermittent and brief (up to 1-2 minutes), as opposed to continuous and structured.
The Impact of VILPA on Cancer Risk
The study was a prospective cohort study of persons between the ages of 40 and 69. The research team led by Dr. Stamatakis only included participants from the accelerometer-wearing group who reported not exercising in their free time and taking one or fewer leisurely walks per week in their analysis of the association between VILPA and cancer incidence.
The study removed participants who provided incomplete information, had a history of cancer, or improperly wore the activity monitor. 22,398 participants made up the study population, and their average age was 62. 54.8% of these were female, and 96% of them were white.
The researchers found 2,356 new cancer occurrences throughout a mean follow-up period of 6.7 years, including cancer registration, hospitalization for cancer, or death from any malignancy.
The researchers utilized a machine-learning method known as “random forest” to categorize accelerometer-recorded physical activity depending on intensity vigorous, moderate, and light.
Cancer risk is reduced by daily VILPA of just a few minutes. The majority of VILPA incidents took place in spurts of up to one or two minutes. People participated in VILPA for a maximum of 16 minutes, or about 4.5 minutes per day on average.
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According to statistical assessments, the association between VILPA and cancer risk is almost linear, meaning that a person’s risk of developing cancer decreases as they engage in more VILPA.
People who engaged in VILPA for an average of 4.5 minutes per day, in short bursts of up to 1 or 2 minutes, had a 20% lower chance of developing cancer than those who did not engage in any VILPA (6.2% of study participants).
More study is required to determine how VILPA affects cancer.
A relatively small quantity of strenuous lifestyle activity can have such a large link with decreased cancer risk, according to the “high-quality study,” according to Dr. David Raichlen, professor of biological sciences and anthropology at the University of Southern California.
According to him, “the authors used a novel machine learning-based method to identify behaviors and this study moves the field forward, allowing us to better understand the benefits of this form of physical activity on the risk of developing cancer.”
Because of the study’s methodology, Dr. Raichlen advised that causality could not be established; however, “this work certainly suggests that future intervention studies using VILPA are warranted.”
According to Prof. Markus Gruber, chair of Training and Movement Science and director of the University Konstanz’s Human Performance Research Center, the study supports the long-held belief in exercise science that “intensity matters.
He claims that VILPA may either directly lower the risk of cancer, boost physical fitness, or show superior physical fitness, which is linked to a lower risk of cancer. Additionally, VILPA may reduce the effects of aging-related fitness decreases and reduce cancer risk by doing so.
Overall, according to Prof. Gruber, VILPA is a promising substitute to recommendations for physical exercise based on length, “particularly for people who dislike to exercise.
Reference :
- Vigorous Intermittent Lifestyle Physical Activity and Cancer Incidence Among Nonexercising Adults: The UK Biobank Accelerometry Study – (https:pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37498576/)
Source: Medindia
