Sitting too long may raise cancer risk

A new study suggests that sitting still for more than 30 minutes at a time while awake may increase the risk of dying from cancer.

Researchers say taking short movement breaks throughout the day could help lower this risk.

According to The Guardian, scientists followed the daily activity of more than 90,000 people for nearly 10 years.

They found that people who spent long periods sitting or lying down without moving had a higher risk of cancer related death.

The study also showed that the risk increased with every extra hour of uninterrupted sitting.

However the research also offered encouraging news.  Experts found that even light physical activity such as standing up or walking for a few minutes every 30 minutes may reduce the health risks linked to prolonged sitting.

Dr. Frederik Ho of the University of Glasgow, the lead author of the study said the findings show that sitting continuously for more than half an hour is associated with a higher risk of cancer death.

He added that simple habits such as taking a short walk every 30 minutes could make a meaningful difference.

Current health guidelines mainly focus on moderate or vigorous exercise. However this study suggests that light movement throughout the day is also important and should not be overlooked.

Researchers analyzed health data collected through wearable activity trackers from participants in a large UK medical database.

The participants were monitored for an average of 12 years allowing scientists to study the long term effects of sitting patterns.

The results showed that every additional hour of uninterrupted sitting each day was linked to about a 10% higher risk of dying from cancer.

The study also found that replacing one hour of sitting with light activities such as ironing clothes or washing dishes was associated with a 12% lower risk of cancer death.

Replacing 30 minutes of sitting with a moderate paced walk reduced the risk by about 8%.

Even more encouraging researchers found that replacing five minutes of sitting with five minutes of more vigorous physical activity was linked to a 22% lower risk of

cancer related death.

Despite these findings experts stressed that this was an observational study meaning it found a link but did not prove that sitting directly causes cancer deaths.

Professor Kevin McConway, a statistician who was not involved in the research said the results are interesting but more studies are needed before firm conclusions can be drawn.

Health experts recommend adding small amounts of movement to your daily routine, such as standing up regularly stretching walking around the office or doing light household chores.

These simple habits may help reduce the health risks associated with sitting for long periods and support better overall health.