More steps, less sitting may lower risk of death in older female cancer survivors

American Heart Association News, American Heart Association News on Mar 17, 2025

Published in Women

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

Moving more and sitting less every day may lower the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and other causes for older women with a history of cancer, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that benefits maxed out at 5,000 to 6,000 steps per day and one hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day. But even walking fewer steps or exercising less than an hour per day could help.

The findings were recently presented at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology and Prevention/Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions in New Orleans. They are considered preliminary until full results are published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Cancer survivors face a higher risk of death from heart disease and stroke, according to an AHA scientific statement in 2019. Exercise, it says, can lessen the toxic effects of cancer treatment on the cardiovascular system and is also an essential part of recovery after treatment.

"Encouraging cancer survivors to be more active, sit less and take more steps every day could be a feasible approach for prolonging survivorship and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality," lead study author Dr. Eric Hyde said in a news release. Hyde is a research analyst at the University of California, San Diego.

The study found that at least one hour of moderate to vigorous activity each day, such as biking or brisk walking, reduced the risk of death from heart disease and stroke by 60%, as well as 40% from any cause. When steps were logged rather than time, the greatest benefit – a 40% lower risk of death – was seen at 5,000 to 6,000 steps before leveling off.

"Risk reductions were even evident when participants walked fewer than 5,000 steps per day," Hyde said.

On the other hand, sedentary behavior raised the risk considerably: Every 102 minutes of sitting time per day was linked to a 30% higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease and a 12% higher risk of death from any cause.

The AHA and federal guidelines recommend adults engage in moderate physical activity for at least 150 minutes each week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, or a combination of both.

The researchers used physical activity data from the Women's Health Accelerometry Collaboration, which combines two studies looking at the links between physical activity, sedentary behavior, cancer and death. They followed 2,479 postmenopausal women with an average age of 74 for about eight years. Half of the women had been diagnosed with breast cancer at least a year before enrolling, and the rest had other cancers, including endometrial, lung, colon and ovarian. Participants wore an accelerometer on their hip that recorded their physical activity and sedentary behavior for up to one week.

Researchers said their findings were limited by the lack of data regarding the participants' cancer stage. In addition, physical activity was measured only once after a cancer diagnosis.

"In future studies, physical activity should be measured at several critical time points, such as before cancer diagnosis, during treatment and after treatment, to clarify how these changes in behavior may relate to survival," Hyde said.

The results add to the understanding of how cancer survivors can better manage their health and live longer, said Dr. Keith Diaz in the news release. He is an associate professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University Medical Center in New York.

"While structured exercise remains the most efficient and effective way to improve your health, these findings highlight that walking – at any intensity – matters," said Diaz, who was not involved in the study. "The road to an active lifestyle is more accessible than we often assume, and the benefits are available to everyone, including people navigating life after cancer."

The results also show the health risks created by prolonged sitting and other sedentary behaviors, he said. "Many adults now spend the majority of their day sitting, not engaged in physical activity," Diaz said. "And for cancer survivors, this issue is likely even more pronounced due to the physical toll of cancer treatment and recovery."

____

American Heart Association News covers heart and brain health. Not all views expressed in this story reflect the official position of the American Heart Association. Copyright is owned or held by the American Heart Association, Inc., and all rights are reserved.