Sitting or Reclining for More Than 30 Minutes at a Time Every Day May Increase Cancer Risk, New Study Finds

Breaking up periods of sedentary behavior with light physical activity — such as walking or household chores — can reduce the risk

NEED TO KNOW

• Sitting or reclining for more than 30 minutes at a time every day could be linked to a higher risk of dying from cancer, according to a new study led by the University of Glasgow
• The study found each additional hour of prolonged inactivity “was associated with a 10% higher risk of cancer death”
• To conduct the study, published in peer-reviewed medical journal PLOS Medicine, researchers tracked more than 91,000 people and analyzed data from wearable devices

Sitting or reclining for more than 30 minutes at a time each day could be linked to a higher risk of dying from cancer, a new study has found.

Researchers tracked more than 91,000 people, analyzing data from wearable devices and following up on them for an average of 12 years, according to the University of Glasgow, which led the study.

The data showed that continuous inactivity for longer than 30 minutes was linked to higher cancer risks — and the risk appears to increase by 10% for each additional hour of continuous inactivity, according to the study, published July 2 in peer-reviewed medical journal PLOS Medicine.

Researchers also found that breaking up blocks of being sedentary with movement can reduce the risk — and vigorous exercise isn’t required.

The total amount of time spent sitting or reclining isn’t the only factor determining cancer risk. Rather, how that time is accumulated, and whether it’s broken up with physical activity, also have a notable impact.

The risk of dying from cancer was 12% lower when one hour of sitting was replaced with light physical activity daily. The physical activity could be slow walking or a household chore such as ironing or washing dishes.

The risk was 8% lower when 30 minutes of inactivity is replaced with moderate physical activity, like walking at an average pace, while the rise was 22% lower when five minutes of inactivity is replaced with five minutes of vigorous activity every day.

As a caveat, the authors added that the study can’t prove that sedentary behavior directly causes cancer and that the wearable devices only tracked behavior during a limited period. The study also didn’t differentiate between different types of sedentary behavior, such as watching TV, working and driving.

“The good news is that breaking up your sitting time with something as simple as a short walk could be protective,” Dr. Frederick Ho, lead author of the study and a senior lecturer in public health at the University of Glasgow, said in a news release. “Current health guidelines focus heavily on moderate or vigorous exercise, but our findings show that light movement shouldn’t be ignored.”

He explained that future studies will help develop personalized strategies for people who wish to break up their time spent sitting or lying down rather than everyone receiving the same blanket advice.

PEOPLE reached out to Dr. Ho for comment but did not immediately hear back.

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The results come at the same time as scientists revealed in a different study that found people over the age of 80 who are “super movers” — walking much faster than their peers — are half as likely to experience a decrease in brain function.

It’s thought walking regularly and maintaining strength into old age helps support brain health and avert cognitive decline.