Study indicates that regular sport, such as cycling, improves prostate cancer prevention

A new study has found that men can significantly lower their chances of developing prostate cancer by doing more cycling, jogging and swimming. Men who increased their fitness by 3% in a year were found to be 35% less likely to develop prostate cancer than men who had let their fitness decrease.

The results have prompted the researchers to encourage men to increase their cardiorespiratory fitness. The researchers said that the results "highlight the important role of supporting the general public to increase their CRF or aim to reach moderate fitness levels".

The study, published on 30 January in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, was performed by the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences and used data from 57,652 men. For each, the researchers analysed the results of at least two cardiorespiratory fitness tests, their physical activity levels, height, BMI, lifestyle and perceived health

During an average follow-up period of seven years, 592 of the men had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and 46 had died from the disease. Men who increased their fitness by 3% in a year were found to be 35% less likely to develop the disease. This is the first conclusive research linking exercise to a reduced risk of prostate cancer.