The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that moderate physical exercises can help reduce the risk of cancers such as breast cancer and colon cancer.

On the World Cancer Day Friday, WHO recommended moderate intensity aerobic physical activities of at least 150 minutes a week, for all people aged 18 and over, which has proven effective in bring down risks to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).

For the 5 to 17-age group, the WHO said at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activities could serve to prevent such diseases from building-up, reports English .

"Physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for all global deaths, with 31 per cent of the world's population not physically active," said Ala Alwan, WHO assistant director-general for Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health.

It said physical inactivity is in close relation with cancers and other NCDs, such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, and worldwide, it is associated with 3.2 million deaths per year.

The situation is particularly alarming in low and middle income countries, which suffered 2.6 million cases of death, a majority of the world's total, said the report.