A case–control study of the association between self-reported occupational and recreational physical activity and lung cancer

This case–control study with a Fujian population investigated whether self-reported occupational and recreational physical activity may be associated with lung cancer. The population comprised 1622 patients with newly diagnosed primary lung cancer and 1622 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. High-intensity occupational physical activity was associated with significantly higher risk of lung cancer (OR = 1.354, 95% CI: 1.068–1.717), especially nonsmall cell lung carcinoma (OR = 1.384, 95% CI: 1.087–1.762). Moderate or low intensity recreational physical activity was associated with reduced risk of lung cancer. The protective effect of recreational physical activity was observed in current or former smokers, but not never-smokers, and in subjects with normal or high BMI, but not low BMI, as well as people without a history of chronic lung disease. The frequency of recreational physical activity was associated with a linear reduction in the risk of lung cancer (P < .001), and also specifically nonsmall cell lung cancer (P < .001). Occupational and recreational physical activity was associated with different effects on the risk of lung cancer in a Fujian population. While recreational physical activity was associated with decreased risk of lung cancer, occupational physical activity was associated with increased risk of lung cancer.