Azra Hoosen | ah@radioislam.co.za
7 February 2025 |10:00 CAT
2 min read

On World Cancer Day, health experts are emphasising the importance of physical activity in improving health outcomes for cancer patients. A groundbreaking study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine highlights the significant benefits of exercise, even at low levels, in reducing cancer progression and mortality rates.

Speaking to Radio Islam International, Dr Musima Mabunda, Chief Clinical Officer at Vitality, shared key findings from the study, which analysed over twenty-eight thousand individuals diagnosed with stage one cancer. The study examined the relationship between physical activity prior to diagnosis and the progression of cancer, as well as the risk of death.

Dr Mabunda explained, “Those individuals that did sixty plus minutes per week of physical activity, that was linked with a 27% lower risk of the cancer progressing and a 47% lower risk of death from any cause.”

Even minimal physical activity showed measurable benefits. “Even at low levels of physical activity, which is less than sixty minutes a week, there were meaningful benefits where there was a sixteen percent lower risk of cancer progression and a thirty-three percent lower risk of death from any cause,” she added.

The study further reinforces the critical role of lifestyle choices in managing health conditions. “The significance of our exercise is it emphasises that lifestyle matters and exercise is one of the healthy lifestyle behaviours that we know reduces our risk of disease,” Dr Mabunda stated.

She noted the challenge of inactivity in South Africa and other developing nations, where sedentary lifestyles contribute to rising cases of obesity, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses. While cancer is not necessarily a direct result of lifestyle choices, she emphasised that incorporating physical activity into daily routines can greatly improve overall well-being. “Clinicians should incorporate exercise, which some of them actually have started to do, into patient care. It talks to the point of understanding the context of the individual that is sitting in front of you and being able to tailor movement or activity that is contextually appropriate to them,” she said.

Encouraging exercise in underserved communities, where access to gyms and structured fitness programs is limited, remains an important priority. Dr Mabunda suggested simple solutions such as promoting walking, encouraging participation in community-based activities like park runs, and ensuring that healthcare providers discuss exercise with patients as part of their treatment plans. “What is helpful is then you break it down to what an individual is able to do. If someone tends to walk quite a bit, because we know that walking is also beneficial for health, you encourage them to walk more often. If someone tells you that they live near a park run, you encourage them to join those communities that help them build exercises and habits,” she said.

While doctors play a key role in encouraging patients to be active, Dr Mabunda acknowledged that knowledge alone is often not enough. Motivation is a crucial factor in sustaining healthy habits. “Many of us have had our clinicians tell us what to do. Like, sometimes knowing what to do is not enough. A clinician would tell you to stop smoking and start exercising, but that in itself is not enough. Which is where programs like Vitality that nudge individuals and reward individuals by adopting healthy lifestyle behaviour touch on intrinsic motivation,” she explained.

Group activities and social accountability also play an essential role. “When I exercise with like-minded people, with groups of people, I find that I am more motivated. On those days when I do not want to show up, they will be messaging to say, ‘Where are you?'” she said.

She encouraged individuals to seek out community-based exercise programs, whether through running and cycling clubs or even daily household activities that promote movement. “Finding communities of people that do activities you are interested in helps with motivation, helps keep you accountable, and it helps many of us to actually engage in healthy lifestyle behaviours.”

Dr Mabunda urges people to take small but consistent steps toward physical activity. “Every little thing that you do counts. The importance of starting where you are, making that a habit, and once you are into the habit, starting to build up and doing a little bit more.”

LISTEN to the full interview with Ml Junaid Kharsany and Dr Musima Mabunda, Chief Clinical Officer at Vitality, here.