Activity program for moms aims at preventing cancer

Mothers with babies from 2 months to 1 year old are invited by the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii to join a program to increase physical activity and fight cancer before it starts.

The program, Na Mikimiki ("the active ones"), will provide accelerometers to participants to test their activity over 18 months. They will also receive resources to help them become active and $60 in gift certificates in appreciation for their participation.

A sedentary lifestyle has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other chronic illnesses, the cancer center pointed out.

It hopes to have 268 participants in the program, which will provide statistics for a national knowledge base that can help people become more active.

"Many women find it difficult to do regular exercise after the birth of a child," Cheryl Albright, who heads the study, said in a news release.

"We would like to help change that. May is National Physical fitness and Sports Month -- an ideal time to get moms to become healthier."

Participants must be Oahu residents 18 to 45 years old who are healthy enough to walk briskly but do not exercise regularly.

The Cancer Research Center's Prevention and Control Program and Kaiser Permanente are collaborating on the project with funding from the National Institutes of Health and National Cancer Institute.