Walking can lower the risk of getting breast cancer in women. (Creative Commons)

The report was published by Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. The study followed 73,615 women from the ages of 50-74.  The American Cancer Society recruited them to monitor the development of cancer between 1992 and 1993. For 17 years the women completed questionnaires, on and off every two years between 1997 and 2009. The questions were about their health, how active they were each day, what type of activities they participated in and how long they were inactive each day. 

The results showed that 47 percent said walking was their only activity. The women who walked for at least seven hours a week had a 14 percent lower risk of getting breast cancer than those who walked for less. 

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Post-menopausal women can benefit greatly from this report. Walking should be promoted as an effective activity that women do to lower their risk. Walking one hour a day, with no other recreational activities, should be every woman’s goal. An added benefit: the more and the longer recreational activities you do, the lower your risk. 

This study shows how lifestyle choices can influence your risk of getting break cancer. Genetics are not the sole influence in getting the disease. It is the everyday activities that make a change. Baroness Delyth Morgan, chief executive of Breast Cancer Campaign, says, "We know that the best weapon to overcoming breast cancer is the ability to stop it occurring in the first place.” 

Read the full story on BBC News. 

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