It\u2019s well-known that sitting all day can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease<\/a> and lead to decreased muscle mass, but new research out of the United Kingdom found that sedentary lifestyles are also tied to a higher risk of cancer and cancer-related death.<\/p>\n The recent study, published in the journal<\/a> PLOS Medicine, looked at the relationship between prolonged sitting and the risk of cancer and the risk of death from cancer. Researchers found that people who broke up their sitting with movement or exercise had a lower chance of cancer-related death.<\/p>\n Specifically, those who broke up sedentary time with an hour or more of light intensity physical activity, such as walking at a slow speed or doing a chore like washing dishes (yes, chores count as movement too!), had a 12% reduced risk of cancer-related death.<\/p>\n Those who replaced 30 minutes of sedentary time with moderate physical activity (like walking at a moderate pace of 3 to 4 miles per hour) had an 8% reduced rate of cancer-related death, and folks who replaced just five minutes of sedentary time with vigorous exercise (such as brisk walking) had a 22% lower rate of cancer-related death. <\/p>\n \u201cJust get up. That is the main message there,\u201d Dr. Heidi Prather<\/a>, the founder and medical director of the Hospital for Special Surgery\u2019s Lifestyle Medicine Program in New York, told HuffPost. Prather is not affiliated with the research. <\/p>\n \u201cObviously, we\u2019re all tied to a computer or a car or something that keeps us inactive, but just interrupting that with any type of activity seems to have, per their data, some very impressive results. Not just cancer death, but even risk of developing cancer,\u201d Prather added.<\/p>\n Researchers looked at data from 91,292 adults who wore wrist trackers for seven days to monitor their physical activity and the amount of time they spent sedentary. <\/p>\n Study participants were then followed for a median of 12.38 years to monitor for cancer diagnosis and cancer-related deaths.<\/p>\n Researchers broke sedentary behavior into two categories: prolonged sedentary behavior, which was being sedentary for more than 30 minutes, and interrupted sedentary behavior, which was sedentary behavior that lasted less than 30 minutes and was interrupted by movement.<\/p>\n Those with higher rates of prolonged sedentary behavior had a higher risk of certain cancers, including breast, colorectal, esophageal, thyroid and liver, and a higher risk of death from cancer.<\/p>\n While breaking up time spent sitting is an important way to engage your muscles and cardiovascular fitness, this study does have limitations. In a press release, the study authors said<\/a> the participants, who are part of the U.K. Biobank health database, have \u201chigher physical activity levels than the general U.K. population.\u201d It\u2019s also not known what someone was doing when they were sedentary; they could be doing anything \u2014 commuting, working, watching a movie or something else.<\/p>\n Movement helps reduce inflammation in the body, which can decrease the risk of cancer.<\/strong><\/p>\n According to Prather, risk for certain cancers (such as breast, colorectal and prostate) is 60% genetic, but 40% of cancer risk is related to lifestyle factors, such as diet, sleep, stress, social connections, relationships, use of risky substances and, yes, exercise<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201c[These things] combined cause us risk to have chronic systemic inflammation and chronic disease, of which cancer can be one of those,\u201d said Prather.<\/p>\n
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