Physical activity

Physical activity includes vigorous exercise, such as gym classes and running, and other moderate physical activity, which can be day-to-day things such as:

• walking
• housework
• cycling at a casual pace
• actively playing with children
• or gardening.

It is thought that the more active you are, the more you reduce your risk of breast cancer. Research suggests that it doesn’t matter what sort of activity you do, or how intense it is – it is the total amount that makes a difference.

We don’t yet know how physical activity reduces breast cancer risk, but we do know that regular activity can help to prevent weight gain, which is known to increase breast cancer risk.

Regular physical activity is good for you in many other ways too. It reduces the risk of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke and osteoporosis, as well as other cancers such as bowel cancer. Physical activity can also help boost self-esteem, and boost energy levels and feelings of general wellbeing.

National health guidelines say you should be physically active on most days of the week and should aim for at least 2.5 hours of moderate physical activity in total. For example, you could do 30 minutes of physical activity on five or more days of the week.

More research is needed before we can be sure whether or not physically activity during childhood affects a girl’s breast cancer risk later on in her life. However, physical activity in childhood has other benefits, and developing healthy habits in childhood may help people to follow a healthy lifestyle later in life.

For more information and advice on being active, see the NHS Choices website

Take a look at our events calender for inspiration on ways to get active.

Information last reviewed: 1 November 2011