Sedentary behavior linked to higher cancer death risk, study finds
Benefits of walking for health and longevity discovered by ‘Walking’ authors
The authors of the book “Walk” are Dr. Courtney Conley and Dr. Milica McDowell explains the broad benefits of walking for physical and mental health. They join Steve Doocy to emphasize that “Vitamin W” is an accessible activity and discuss how increasing daily steps from the current average of 5,000 steps to a brisk pace of 130 steps per minute could increase lifespan. They also highlight “move snacks” for overall health.
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Reducing your risk of death from cancer may be as simple as taking short breaks for physical activity throughout the day, according to a new observational study.
The study, led by researchers from the University of Glasgow who examined the relationship between cancer and long-term sedentary behaviour, found that participants who regularly interrupted long-term sitting with physical activity had a lower risk of death from cancer.
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Dr., chief of breast imaging at Northwestern Medicine. “This study adds to the growing evidence that long-term sedentary behavior is an independent health risk,” Georgia Spear told Fox News Digital.
“While it does not prove that sitting causes cancer, it does suggest that prolonged, uninterrupted sitting is associated with a higher risk of death from cancer,” Spear explained. “The findings reinforce current public health recommendations that regular movement throughout the day is an important component of cancer prevention.”
Researchers observed that long periods of inactivity were associated with an increased risk of death from cancer. (iStock)
Researchers tracked 91,292 volunteer participants in the United Kingdom who wore activity-tracking devices on their wrists for seven days to track their sedentary habits. Scientists tracked the volunteers’ health outcomes for about 12 years.
The researchers defined prolonged sedentary behavior as any seizure that “lasted for at least 30 minutes and was inactive for at least 90% of that time.”
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They defined intermittent sitting as sessions lasting less than 30 minutes or interrupted by short periods of physical activity.
Each additional hour of inactivity per day increases the risk of death from cancer by 10%, researchers reported in their study published by PLOS Medicine.
Light physical activity, including household chores such as ironing, is associated with a reduced risk of death from cancer. (iStock)
Replacing one hour of sitting each day with light activity was associated with a 12% reduced risk of death from cancer. Replacing 30 minutes with moderate activity was linked to an 8% lower risk, and replacing just five minutes with vigorous activity was associated with a 22% lower risk.
Researchers classified light physical activity as walking at a slow pace and doing household chores, such as ironing shirts or washing dishes.
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The researchers wrote that these findings should be interpreted with caution because “the study cannot prove causality.”
They noted that volunteers may not be representative of the broader population and that activity tracking only captures behavior over a limited period of time without showing the context of sedentary behavior, such as work, watching television, or driving.
Spear said existing research links sedentary behavior to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and various cancers.
Interrupting sitting or lying down periods with physical activity is key to reducing the risk of death from cancer, researchers have found. (iStock)
“What’s remarkable here is that it turns out that it’s not just the total amount that matters, but how people sit,” he said. “Cutting out sitting with regular movements can provide measurable health benefits.”
Other simple lifestyle strategies can be quite effective in reducing the risk of death from cancer, according to Spear.
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“Stand and move every 30 to 60 minutes, take short walking breaks, including after meals, use the stairs, walk during phone calls, and do light activities throughout the day,” he recommended.
“Combined with regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol, not smoking, and staying current with recommended cancer screenings, these habits can help reduce the risk of breast cancer and other chronic diseases.”
