# Cohort study of 87,738 UK Biobank participants links physical activity to lower IPF risk (HR 0.90)

- Published: 2026-11-11 16:30 UTC
- Section: Life & Health › Medicine
- Tags: idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, IPF risk, physical activity, moderate-to-vigorous activity, UK Biobank, accelerometer, polygenic risk score, prospective cohort study, interstitial lung disease
- URL: https://realtech.media/news/rt-0709534d12b9b67b6168f4f9_cohort_study_of/

**In a prospective cohort, 386 of 87,738 participants developed idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; moderate-to-vigorous activity was associated with lower risk, including at higher genetic risk.**

![Cohort study of 87,738 UK Biobank participants links physical activity to lower IPF risk (HR 0.90)](https://realtech.media/media/2026/11/147c645420ec046b.jpg)
*M Joko Apriyo Putro, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0*

Yumin Dong and colleagues analysed data from 87,738 UK Biobank participants who had valid accelerometer-based physical activity measurements and no idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) at baseline. The prospective cohort study was published in BMC Pulmonary Medicine. During follow-up, 386 participants developed IPF. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was associated with a lower risk of incident IPF: HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.85–0.94, p < 0.001 [1].

IPF is a progressive interstitial lung disease with a poor prognosis. Physical activity may influence inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which are implicated in IPF pathogenesis. Before this work, evidence on the association between physical activity and incident IPF remained limited [1].

## Cohort and activity measurement

Participants entered the analysis only if they had no IPF at baseline. Based on accelerometer data, physical activity intensity was categorized as sedentary, light, or moderate-to-vigorous [1].

To account for inherited predisposition, the authors derived polygenic risk scores (PRS) from 13 genome-wide significant variants and used them for genetic risk stratification. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios for incident IPF [1].

## Results across genetic risk levels

The inverse association between MVPA and incident IPF remained consistent across different levels of genetic susceptibility. Effect estimates were smaller among participants with higher genetic risk [1]. The authors reported that sensitivity analyses supported the robustness of the findings [1].

The authors conclude that physical activity may represent a modifiable lifestyle factor associated with IPF risk. They state that the findings warrant further investigation in future mechanistic and intervention studies [1]. As a cohort study, it reports an association rather than a demonstrated effect of activity on disease onset.

## Sources

1. [BMC Pulmonary Medicine](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12890-026-04913-9)
2. [bioengineer.org](https://bioengineer.org/physical-activity-linked-to-lower-risk-of-idiopathic-pulmonary-fibrosis)

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Source: RealTech, realtech.media — https://realtech.media/news/rt-0709534d12b9b67b6168f4f9_cohort_study_of/