Engaging in physical activity can help people lower their risk of developing colon cancer, according to a new study.

Research conducted by Washington University School of Medicine and Harvard University analyzed data from previous studies looking at exercise and colon cancer.

They discovered that subjects who took part in the most physical activity cut their chances of developing the disease by 24 percent, compared with their counterparts who were the least active.

“There is an ever-growing body of evidence that the behavior choices we make affect our cancer risk,” said lead author Kathleen Y. Wolin. “Physical activity is at the top of the list of ways that you can reduce your risk of colon cancer.”

The findings, published in the British Journal of Cancer, took the results of 52 separate studies into account, in data stretching back to 1984.

In October, researchers at the University of Alabama uncovered a link between obesity and colon cancer.

Those who are seeking to reduce their risk of disease may want to consider incorporating more exercise into their healthy lifestyle, which may also include the consumption of nutritional supplements and a balanced diet.