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I am a 56-year old woman with a family history of breast cancer. I’ve never been much for exercising, but heard it could help prevent cancer. Is it too late to start now and get any benefit from it?

It’s never too late to exercise for your overall, general health. Exercise has been shown to reduce the risk of many diseases including diabetes, cancer, and osteoporosis.

The data on breast cancer isn’t complete. Many studies are underway to answer these important questions. Some researchers are trying to find out what kind of exercise is needed to reduce the risk of breast cancer. Others are asking if there is a “best” time in life to exercise.

So far, it looks like exercise has the best preventive effect when women are active in their early years. Even so, there is a positive effect of physical activity in the postmenopausal years, too.

Reference: 

Joan Dorn et al. Lifetime Physical Activity and Breast Cancer Risk in Pre- and Postmenopausal Women. In Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. February 2003. Vol. 35. No. 2. Pp. 278-285.

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