An increase in annual cardiorespiratory fitness of 3% or more is associated with a 35% lower risk occurrence of prostate canceraccording to research published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

As the researchers note, there are relatively few known risk factors for prostate cancer, and while there is good evidence for the beneficial effects of physical activity on the risk of several cancers, the associations with prostate cancer are less clear.

The research team from Sweden studied data on 57,652 men included in a Swedish health database. Information was related to physical activity, lifestyle, perceived health, measurement of body mass and height, and the results of at least two cardiorespiratory tests measured on a stationary bicycle.

The participants were divided into three groups, those whose cardiorespiratory fitness increased annually by more than 3%, those who decreased by more than 3%, and those who remained stable.

Participants were followed from the date of the last assessment to the date of prostate cancer diagnosis or death from any cause, or until December 31, 2019, for an average period of seven years.

The researchers found that participants whose fitness had improved by 3% or more per year were 35% less likely to develop prostate cancer relative to those whose fitness had declined.

In addition, the participants were divided into three groups according to their initial fitness, low, moderate and high. In this case the correlation between physical condition and its reduction risk of prostate cancer was 15% lower only for those who initially had a moderate level of fitness.

The findings lead the researchers to conclude that men should be encouraged to improve their level of physical fitness to reduce their chances of developing prostate cancer.

However, they clarify that this is an observational study and therefore cannot establish causal factors. They also add that genetic factors play an important role in both a person’s cardiorespiratory fitness and cancer risk.