The association of physical activity with lung cancer incidence in a cohort of older women: the Iowa Women's Health Study.
BACKGROUND
We examined the potential association between physical activity and lung cancer in women.


METHODS
In 1986, 36,929 women from Iowa, who were free of prior cancer, completed a questionnaire regarding physical activity, smoking, body mass index, and other life-style factors. Women were followed through 2002 for cancer incidence.


RESULTS
After adjusting for potential confounders, women with high physical activity levels were less likely [hazard ratio, 0.77; 95% confidence intervals (CI), 0.64-0.94] to develop lung cancer than women with low activity levels. This hazard ratio was 0.72 (95% CI, 0.55-0.94) in current smokers and 0.63 (95% CI, 0.43-0.92) in former smokers, but was not significant in never smokers.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that physical activity might reduce the risk of lung cancer in women who are current or former smokers.
Sinner
Penny
P
Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, 1300 South 2nd Street, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55454-1015, USA.
Folsom
Aaron R
AR
Harnack
Lisa
L
Eberly
Lynn E
LE
Schmitz
Kathryn H
KH
D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007484:Iowa / Q000453:epidemiology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires