Posted on 12/29/2006 8:15:33 AM PST by twntaipan
Women who exercise by doing the housework can reduce their risk of breast cancer, a study suggests.
The research on more than 200,000 women from nine European countries found doing household chores was far more cancer protective than playing sport.
Dusting, mopping and vacuuming was also better than having a physical job.
The women in the Cancer Research UK-funded study spent an average of 16 to 17 hours a week cooking, cleaning and doing the washing.
Something as simple and cheap as doing the housework can help Dr Lesley Walker of Cancer Research UK
Experts have long known that physical exercise can reduce the risk of breast cancer, probably through hormonal and metabolic changes.
But it has been less clear how much and what types of exercise are necessary for this risk reduction.
And much of past work has examined the link between exercise and breast cancer in post-menopausal women only.
The latest study looked at both pre- and post-menopausal women and a range of activities, including work, leisure and housework.
All forms of physical activity combined reduced the breast cancer risk in post-menopausal women, but had no obvious effect in pre-menopausal women.
Chores protected
Out of all of the activities, only housework significantly reduced the risk of both pre- and post-menopausal women getting the disease.
Housework cut breast cancer risk by 30% among the pre-menopausal women and 20% among the post-menopausal women.
The women were studied over an average of 6.4 years, during which time there were 3,423 cases of breast cancer.
The international authors said their results suggested that moderate forms of physical activity, such as housework, may be more important than less frequent but more intense recreational physical activity in reducing breast cancer risk.
Dr Lesley Walker of Cancer Research UK said: "We already know that women who keep a healthy weight are less likely to develop breast cancer.
"This study suggests that being physically active may also help reduce the risk and that something as simple and cheap as doing the housework can help."
He recommend that men and women take regular exercise and maintain a healthy body weight to help prevent cancer.
The research is published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention.
Forwarding this to ex-wife ;)
I imagine the mental well-being of fixing up your own home rather than doing physical work for an employer has something to do with it.
Can't be just any exercise or physical activity, huh? Those wacky Brits.
FYI, ladies
Who paid for this conclusion?? Makes absolutely no sense.
I'm guessing this will stay well BUMPed for the next month or so, too.
ping
FYI PING
So...when I leave it all for my wife to do...am I just thinking of her?
Quick, honey! Dust! DUUUUST!
Fetching beer firms the thighs too.
OK - Where's the study on Prostrate Cancer in Men and House Cleaning? I'll help fund it....
Well,
I'm dead.
hmrpt,
If you saw my kitchen post holiday baking, you'd send me to the Mayo clinic.
This thread could get ugly.
Me, too.
Me too, Najida.
Picture this. It is Friday night and the local lab rats are at the local bar slamming back brews, it was was dollar pitcher night. They got to talking about how the women in their lives are always complaining about housework and previous to that they were complaining about their own bank accounts.
Someone boinked them self on the side of the head with their palm and said, I can't believe we didn't think of this before! I have a great way to make some money on research and prove to women the benefits of housework.
This folks is how research ideas are born !!!!!
Housework more healthy than sport??? How did they come up with this logic??
Quakery....
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