Cancer Survivors Have Lower Levels of Physical Activity

THURSDAY, Oct. 1, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Cancer survivors are less likely to be physically active than adults without a cancer history, although physical activity (PA) increased in cancer survivors from 2018 to 2024, according to a study published online Sept. 5 in AJPM Focus.

Biruk D. Demma, M.D., from Washington University (WashU) in St. Louis, and colleagues used data from the Behavioral Risk Factor and Surveillance survey (2018 to 2024) to estimate annual PA prevalence rates among adults with and without a cancer history.

The researchers found that PA prevalence increased significantly among adults with a cancer history (67.1 to 71.6 percent; annual percentage change [APC], 1.05 percent). No such increase was seen in participants without a cancer history (76.3 to 78.3 percent; APC, 0.47 percent). However, cancer history was associated with a 3.8 percentage-point lower adjusted prevalence of PA. Across both groups, aerobic PA guideline adherence was similar.

“Regular physical activity is important to everyone, but even more so for cancer survivors,” coauthor Amy Eyler, Ph.D., also from WashU, said in a statement. “A growing body of evidence suggests that regular physical activity after a cancer diagnosis is associated with many health benefits, including reduction in cancer-related fatigue, overall quality of life, physical fitness and functioning, and improved mental health.”

Abstract/Full Text