Exercise is Medicine: Latest Studies

Feb 4, 2025

From brain health to stroke recovery, exercise can be used as medication and ongoing developments and research studies point to its unlimited potential to improve lives. Every month Fitness Industry Council of Canada (FIC) explores the latest studies on exercise for physical, mental and social health. Let’s dive into the studies, and how the fitness industry can leverage them.

Physical Fitness Linked with Lower Mortality Rates with Cancer Patients

In a data analysis published in the British Medical Journal, more muscular strength and better cardiovascular fitness was associated with a lower risk of death in people with cancer. The researchers compared 42 studies in their analysis, involving nearly 47,000 patients. Higher fitness levels were linked to a 31% to 46% reduced risk of all-cause mortality, notably among patients with advanced-stage lung and digestive cancers. This underscores the significance of physical fitness in cancer treatment, suggesting that exercises like weightlifting, resistance band workouts, body-weight exercises, and cardiovascular activities such as walking, cycling, or swimming can substantially improve survival rates and overall health.

What we can do: The Canadian Cancer Society estimated that there would be 247,100 new cancer cases in 2024, and 88,100 cancer deaths – and that, on average, 674 Canadians would be diagnosed each day, with 241 Canadians dying from cancer daily. Train and educate your team and consider offering personal training sessions and programs for people living with cancer.

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