Increased cancer risk linked to prolonged sitting

We're sitting too much - and our health is at risk. Photography Thinkstock

A new review of studies published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute has found the more time people spend sitting, the higher their risk of certain types of cancer.

It’s well known sitting for prolonged periods daily can increase the risk of a number of health conditions and researchers found with each 2 hour increase in people's sitting time per day, their risk of colon cancer increased by 8 percent, and women's risk of endometrial cancer increased by 10 percent.

And it’s not just clocking up hours at your desk that count. Women in the study who spent a total of 10 hours per day watching TV and sitting at work had an 8 percent increased risk of colon cancer and a 10 percent increased risk of endometrial cancer compared with women who typically sat for 8 hours daily.

Your morning run certainly helps, but researchers found it didn’t matter how active participants were when they were not sitting.

“The results were independent of physical activity, showing that sedentary behavior represents a potential cancer risk factor, distinct from physical inactivity,” study author Dr. Daniela Schmid, of the University of Regensburg in Germany said.

In the new review, researchers analysed data from 43 previous observational studies, which looked at more than 4 million people, including nearly 70,000 who had cancer.

With a link between obesity and sedentary behaviour, studies have also shown that more time spent sitting after meals is related to higher blood-sugar levels, which have also been associated with an increased risk of colon cancer.

So, what can you do if your job requires you to sit at a desk all day?

Researchers recommend you break up the time you spend sitting by incorporating some physical activity into your daily routine.

“For example, instead of calling your colleagues on the phone or sending emails, you may walk down the aisle or take the stairs to reach their office,” Schmid said.

Although the study showed an increased risk of cancer regardless of people's physical activity, researchers still said that exercise in any form is beneficial to overall health.

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