Knowledge Isn’t Enough
In the study on colon cancer and exercise, there was one more difference: those who were in the structured exercise study had fewer deaths over the follow-up period than those who were given the same materials on exercise and nutrition but no supervision or regular contact with experts. The difference between the two groups was just over 6% fewer people dying of colon or any forms of cancer in the structured group than in the information-only group.
Because they tested all subjects regularly, there were a few things that stood out to me. First, there were more subjects participating in the follow-up testing in the structured group than in the information group. While the difference was small, fewer than 15 subjects each time, it appeared that the structured program kept people involved at a higher rate.
The second observation was that the six-month check-in session was the most well attended at over 80% in the structured group. Both groups declined in participation at about the same rate after that, but the initial difference was maintained better in the structured group. In other words, the subjects maintained their lifestyle changes throughout the entire follow-up period better than the information-only group.
My interpretation is that the initial structure and personalized attention was important in maintaining lifestyle changes, better than just reading material alone. It’s not just about the information; it’s being able to internalize the lifestyle into everyday life. It would appear that the changes last—not perfectly—but better than just reading a book or following a scripted program.
In the Insider Conference Call next Wednesday, October 21, I’m going to address two topics in detail. On Monday I had successful surgery to remove a swollen parathyroid gland, and I’ll explain the importance of the parathyroid gland to your overall health but especially your bones. I’m also going to talk about screening for lung cancer after the Pope’s recent surgery. The Guest Pass is available for this conference call and I’ll also be answering Insider and Guest Pass holder questions.
What are you prepared to do today?
Dr. Chet
P.S. Get access to the next Insider Conference Call for only $9.95 for a wealth of knowledge. So join me on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at 9 p.m. Eastern Time to learn live and in person; you’ll also get an opportunity to listen during the following week.
Reference: N Engl J Med 2025;393:13-25. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2502760
