Is exercise really better than drugs for cancer remission? It's an appealing idea – but it's misleading | Devi Sridhar

The healing power of exercise should never be underestimated, but be cautious about what recent headlines seem to suggest

• Prof Devi Sridhar is chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh, and the author of How Not to Die (Too Soon)

You might have seen the recent headlines on a new study on exercise and cancer recovery suggesting that exercise is better than a drug" in preventing cancer returning. Cue a wave of commentary pitting big pharma" against fitness, as if we must choose between pills and planks. It's an appealing narrative - but it's also misleading.

We don't need to choose between the two. In fact, the best health outcomes often come from combining medicine with a broader view of health that includes movement, diet, social connection and mental wellbeing.

Prof Devi Sridhar is chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh, and the author of How Not to Die (Too Soon)