The Centers for Disease Control has announced the results of a study that looks at physical inactivity levels across the country, and it shows a need for people to get moving.
All states and territories had more than 15% of adults who were physically inactive, and this estimate ranged from 17.3% to 47.7%. Inactivity levels vary among adults by race/ethnicity and location.
Read MoreThe Study
For the study, physical inactivity was defined as “self-report of engaging in no leisure-time physical activity during the past month.” And according to state maps, states in the South — specifically Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and Oklahoma – reported the lowest levels of physical inactivity, with some 30% of people surveyed reporting as inactive. Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Utah and the District of Columbia reported the highest levels, with 15% to less than 20% of adults in the study physically inactive.Additionally, Hispanics (31.7%) had the highest prevalence of physical inactivity, followed by non-Hispanic blacks (30.3%) and non-Hispanic whites (23.4%). In the majority of states, non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics had a significantly higher prevalence of inactivity than non-Hispanic whites.
Exercise and Cancer Prevention
There is substantial evidence that higher levels of physical activity are linked to lower risks of several cancers. The National Cancer Institute notes this is especially true when it comes to colon, breast and endometrial cancers.
Physical activity is essential for people to maintain a balance between the number of calories consumed and the number of calories used, the NCI says. Consistently expending fewer calories than are consumed leads to obesity, which scientists have “convincingly” linked to increased risks of 13 different cancers. Additionally, the NCI notes, “evidence indicates that physical activity may reduce the risks of several cancers through other mechanisms, independent of its effect on obesity.”
Exercise Can Lower Your Breast Cancer Risk
Dr. Elizabeth Comen, medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and a medical advisor to SurvivorNet, previously spoke with us about exercise and breast cancer.
Here's the bottom line: research shows that exercise can lower your risk of breast cancer and also help you cope better with treatment if you've already been diagnosed.
Dr. Elizabeth Comen
“We know that when woman are overweight they can have a state of inflammation in their bodies and some of those fat cells can make estrogen … being exposed to too much estrogen over a woman’s lifetime can significantly increase her risk of breast cancer,” Dr. Comen told SurvivorNet.
“For woman who have ben diagnosed with breast cancer we know the following: woman who exercise do better during treatment, their hearts do better in the long run if they take the time to exercise. … There are lots of different ways you can do it, even something more than you did yesterday is better than nothing.”
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
