A recent study found that prolonged sitting may increase the risk of developing and dying from cancer, while interrupting periods of sitting with movement may help reduce this risk.
A study published in the journal PLOS Medicine showed that the impact of sitting on health is not only related to the total time a person spends sitting, but also to how long the periods of sitting without movement last.
Researchers analyzed data from over 91,000 people who participated in the UK Biobank study. None of the participants had a history of cancer at the start of the study. Each participant wore an activity monitoring device for seven days, and the researchers then followed up on their health for approximately 12 years.
The results showed that every additional hour a day a person spends sitting for long periods was associated with a 9% increased risk of dying from cancer, and also with a 3% increased risk of developing cancer.
In contrast, interrupting periods of sitting with movement was associated with better outcomes, as each hour of intermittent inactivity was associated with an 18% lower risk of death from cancer and a 6% lower risk of developing cancer overall.
The researchers also found that replacing one hour of prolonged sitting per day with light physical activity was associated with a 12% lower risk of death from cancer and a 6% lower risk of developing it.
Frederick Ho, an epidemiologist and lead author of the study from the University of Glasgow, said that health guidelines usually focus on moderate or vigorous exercise, but the study's findings suggest that light movement is also important, explaining that breaking up long periods of sitting with short walks can be beneficial.
However, the study does not prove that prolonged sitting directly causes cancer, as it is an observational study, meaning it shows a relationship between sitting patterns and health outcomes but does not prove a causal relationship.
The researchers believe the findings add to the growing evidence of the importance of reducing inactivity, and suggest that incorporating short periods of movement during the day may be a simple and beneficial step, especially for people who have to sit for long hours.
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