Table 1.

Study and patient characteristics of all studies

Author (year)	Definition of exercise	Pre/post-diagnosis	No. of patients	Age	Male	Location of tumour
Phipps et al. (2018) [10]	< 1 episode of vigorous activity per month, > 1 episode of vigorous activity per month	Post-diagnosis	487, 1505	57.8	222, 818	47% right, 53% left
Walter et al. (2017) [1]	MET-H/week (0–25.4, 25.4–43.5, 43.5–65.4, > 65.4) (lifetime average leisure time physical activity)	Pre-diagnosis	774, 768, 769, 769	70, 70, 69, 68	471, 419, 464, 483	59.4% colon, 40.6% rectum
	MET-H/week (0–25.4, 25.4–43.5, 43.5–65.4, > 65.4) (latest average leisure time physical activity)	Post-diagnosis	786, 750, 762, 766	72, 70, 68, 67	464, 415, 457, 489
Park et al. (2017) [11]	< 1 h/week, > 1 h/week	Post-diagnosis	97, 203	61.6, 60.6	46, 112	56.7% colon, 43.3% rectum
Tamakoshi et al. (2017) [13]	No habit, 1–2 times/week, > 3 times/week	Pre-diagnosis	1359, 352	-	-	61% colon, 39% rectum
Arem et al. (2015) [14]	Never, < 1 h/week, 1–3 h/week, 4–7 h/week, > 7 h/week (prediagnosis LTPA)	Pre- and post-diagnosis	619, 418, 994, 896, 870	64.3, 64.4, 64.4, 64.7, 64.9	68, 66, 65.9, 65.6, 66	Not reported
Jeon et al. (2013) [15]	MET-h/week (< 3, 3–17.9, > 18)	Post-diagnosis	81, 96, 60	63, 60, 59.5	38, 59, 43	Not reported
Campbell et al. (2013) [16]	MET-h/week (< 3.5, 3.5–8.74, > 8.75)	Pre- and post-diagnosis	255, 943, 1064	-	165, 487, 619	73.4% colon, 26.6% rectum
Kuiper et al. (2012) [17]	MET-h/week (0, 0–2.9, 3.0–8.9, 9.0–17.9, > 18)	Pre- and post-diagnosis	234, 166, 350, 312, 277	65.6, 65.1, 65.7, 65.9, 66.3	All women	80.8% colon, 19.2% rectum
Baade et al. (2011) [12]	Sedentary, insufficient active pa/week, sufficient active pa/week	Pre- and post-diagnosis	748, 484, 593	-	289, 126, 208	63.7% colon, 36.3% rectum
Meyerhardt et al. (2009) [18]	MET-h/week (< 3, 3.1–9, 9.1–18, 18–27, > 27)	Post-diagnosis	102, 125, 101, 81, 252	72, 69, 68,68, 69	All men	Not reported
Meyerhardt et al. (2006) [6]	Pre-diagnosis Met-h/week (< 3, 3.1–9, 9.1–18, 18–27, > 27)	Pre- and post-diagnosis	142, 152, 118, 161	65, 65, 63, 66	All women	81% colon, 19% rectum
	Post-diagnosis Met-h/week (< 3, 3.1–9, 9.1–18, 18–27, > 27)		167, 146, 97, 144	65, 65, 64, 64	All women	80% colon, 20% rectum
Haydon et al. (2006) [7]	Non-exercises, exercises	Pre-diagnosis	297, 229	67.6, 68.6	51, 52	66.5% colon, 33.5% rectum
Meyerhardt et al. (2006) (6)	MET-h/week (< 3, 3–8.9, 9–17.9, 18–26.9, > 27)	Post-diagnosis	273, 187, 137, 84, 151	61, 61, 59, 59, 59	44, 57, 64, 67, 66%	Not reported