NEW YORK - Mild to moderate physical activity may minimize the risk of endometrial cancer associated with obesity, according to study of American Cancer Society.

Dr. Alpa V. Patel and colleagues noticed 466 cases of endometrial cancers between 1992 and 2003 in 43,000 postmenopausal women with complete uteri.

Researchers found that, active women engaged initially in mild to moderate exercises, such as walking, biking, aerobics or dancing, equivalent to almost two hours of moderately paced walking per week.

“All measures of physical activity and the avoidance of sedentary behavior were associated with lower endometrial cancer risk,” Dr. Patel and her group report in the October 15th issue of the International Journal of Cancer.

However, physical exertion was strongly associated with reduced risk only among obese women (p = 0.003).

“Since physical activity, even in the absence of weight loss, significantly improves insulin sensitivity and has direct effects on bio-available estrogen,” the researchers suggest that “it is biologically plausible that overweight or obese women engaging in regular physical activity may experience a greater risk reduction compared to active, normal weight women.”

Dr. Patel’s team is trying to conduct more research work in relation to less intense activity and endometrial cancer risk reduction in order to “strengthen public health recommendations in this regard.”