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Combining smaller waist with staying active can cut our cancer risk 

A woman in a sporty top measures her waist outdoors

People who watch their waistline AND do more physical activity can reduce their risk of cancer a lot more than those doing one or the other, new research shows

Author: The WCRF team
Published: 22 January 2025

Achieving a balanced combination of exercise and controlling our waistline is far more effective in reducing our risk of cancer than doing just one or the other, according to a study funded by World Cancer Research Fund.

In the world’s first study looking at the effectiveness of combining these measures, we found that only doing one is not enough to lower our risk of cancer. The study, which looked at more than 300,000 people, found that:

The study – WHO guidelines on waist circumference and physical activity and their joint association with cancer risk (Lead researcher: Prof Michael Leitzmann, University of Regensburg) – was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Dr Helen Croker explains our research findings

World Cancer Research Fund has been at the forefront of cancer prevention in the UK and globally for decades. We developed Activ8, a free 8-week programme to encourage people to move more, eat well and reduce their cancer risk. Every step is backed by science and brings our Cancer Prevention Recommendations to life.

> Read more on this research grant project

> Find out how to measure your waist