According to a recent study, light walking for nearly three hours every week could help cancer survivors reduce harmful effects of their treatment. The research was conducted by the researchers from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. It has been published in the 'Journal of Cancer Survivorship: Research and Practice'.

According to the study, just walking three hours per week can lead to great benefits. As per Siobhan Phillips, a kinesiologist and an assistant professor in the department of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine,"Non-vigorous walking for three hours per week seems to improve the fatigue, depression and body weight issues that affect many men post-treatment. If you walk even more briskly, for only 90 minutes a week, you could also see similar benefits in these areas". Phillips is also the lead author of the study.

The researchers studied data from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, consisting of self-reported data on 51,529 men in health professions since 1986. The data was taken from the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.

The research concentrated on prostate cancer survivors, diagnosed with non-advanced disease before 2008. The cancer survivors replied to a health-related quality of life (HRQOL) questionnaire. Common symptoms of HRQOL are sexual function issues, urinary and bowel problems, fatigue, depression, increased body weight and erectile dysfunction.

The average time spent during a week, while going to work place or for exercise in addition to time spent running, cycling, jogging, swimming and playing sports was reported by the men from the data. Their normal outdoor walking speed was reported by them as easy, average, brisk or very brisk.

It was found by the researchers that these men had more chances of having an improved health-related quality of life if they walked lightly for at least three hours each week.