Housework cuts breast cancer risk

BBC ^ | 12-29-2006 | Staff

[twntaipan]

Women who exercise by doing the housework can reduce their risk of breast cancer, a study suggests.

The research on more than 200,000 women from nine European countries found doing household chores was far more cancer protective than playing sport.

Dusting, mopping and vacuuming was also better than having a physical job.

The women in the Cancer Research UK-funded study spent an average of 16 to 17 hours a week cooking, cleaning and doing the washing.

Something as simple and cheap as doing the housework can help Dr Lesley Walker of Cancer Research UK

Experts have long known that physical exercise can reduce the risk of breast cancer, probably through hormonal and metabolic changes.

But it has been less clear how much and what types of exercise are necessary for this risk reduction.

And much of past work has examined the link between exercise and breast cancer in post-menopausal women only.

The latest study looked at both pre- and post-menopausal women and a range of activities, including work, leisure and housework.

All forms of physical activity combined reduced the breast cancer risk in post-menopausal women, but had no obvious effect in pre-menopausal women.

Chores protected

Out of all of the activities, only housework significantly reduced the risk of both pre- and post-menopausal women getting the disease.

Housework cut breast cancer risk by 30% among the pre-menopausal women and 20% among the post-menopausal women.

The women were studied over an average of 6.4 years, during which time there were 3,423 cases of breast cancer.

The international authors said their results suggested that moderate forms of physical activity, such as housework, may be more important than less frequent but more intense recreational physical activity in reducing breast cancer risk.

Dr Lesley Walker of Cancer Research UK said: "We already know that women who keep a healthy weight are less likely to develop breast cancer.

"This study suggests that being physically active may also help reduce the risk and that something as simple and cheap as doing the housework can help."

He recommend that men and women take regular exercise and maintain a healthy body weight to help prevent cancer.

The research is published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention.

[luckystarmom]

I want that one also.

I'm sure the men will post about having sex helps prostate cancer.

[Scotswife]

"Forwarding this to ex-wife ;)"

LOL...please post her response

[RockinRight]

Uh oh...here we go.

[Millee]

I'm doomed.

[najida]

My bunnies run in herds :)

[twntaipan]

I should have noted I am not responsible for what follows on this thread.

[conservativebabe]

LMAO!

[Axenolith]

Men reduce their chance of prostate cancer by camping, fishing, hunting, and metal detecting.

[knarf]

Ya' f'got drinkin' beer.

[libertarian27]

"Men reduce their chance of prostate cancer by camping, fishing, hunting, and metal detecting."

I didn't see that study....where's that study? LOL

[longhorn too]

Well it does you know!

[Rippin]

I don't know,
Cleaning house stresses me,
Watching the dust bunnies play in the candlelight while not having to wash dishes is very relaxing to me.

So is using the iron as a doorstop, having enough underwear to only do laundry once a month and using the pets as organic floor cleaners.

---

Better go for a mammogram. Your choice. :-)

[Shyla]

Uh oh. I think I'm in trouble:(

[spinestein]

[Housework cuts breast cancer risk]

I ALMOST had the old lady convinced but then I went too far; I told her that performing oral sex would also make her breasts bigger.

[najida]

I'm doomed too!

[najida]

I go for a mammogram once a year.....
that is about as often as I clean house....

It's worth it :)

[Lancey Howard]

Bookmarked. Definitely bookmarked.

[Marie]

My friends and female family members have noticed an interesting trend. Whenever we're bent over a bathtub or cleaning out a garbage disposal or scrubbing a floor every one of our husbands choose *THAT* moment to... a-hem... "assert their dominance". What in the *heck* is so irresistible about a braless barefoot woman with sweats, a t-shirt with a wet line from dishwater across the belly, no makeup - hair pulled into a sloppy pony tail - and a handful of partially ground-up sink sludge?!?

Once I point it out to a friend she starts paying attention and every one of them has come back to me a week later - mystified and laughing - to report that her husband does it too. Young, old, various income levels, different races... dosn't matter. Men like to playfully mount scrubbing women.

[Marie]

Makes tons of sense. Stress is a huge contributor to all kinds of disease. Having a clean house and taking pride in it reduces stress. It would work for men too I'm sure.

Actually, I wonder if it's the other way around. I have Addison's and when I'm down my house goes to hell fast. When I'm feeling better everything is perfect. I wonder if a messy house is indicative of a sub-clinical illness.

[AbeKrieger]

SO I get a clean house AND my wife gets to keep her boobs ??? NICE !!!!!