Leading a sedentary lifestyle ups the risk of certain types of cancers by 10 percent, a new study finds.
Previous studies have linked sedentary lifestyle to obesity, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes but a new study found that it also increases the risk of certain types of cancer. Researchers from the University of Regensburg conducted a meta-analysis of 43 studies that included 4 million individuals and 68,936 cancer patients. Researchers looked at how physical inactivity impacted the risk of certain types of cancer. Some factors considered in the study included TV viewing time, recreational sitting time, occupational sitting time, and total sitting time.
On comparing highest sedentary levels to the lowest, researchers found that individuals from the first group were at a higher risk of colon, endometrial and lung cancers. Researchers found that every 2 extra hours of sitting time increased colon cancer risk by 8 percent, endometrial cancer risk by 10 percent and lung cancer risk by 6 percent.
Researchers said that the highest risk was observed in individuals who spent most of their time watching TV. The study authors speculated that this could be because TV viewing is generally done while eating junk food and drinking sweetened beverages. The study authors also pointed out that these risks were present even for people who are otherwise physically active but spend a lot of time sitting.
"That sedentariness has a detrimental impact on cancer even among physically active persons implies that limiting the time spent sedentary may play an important role in preventing cancer," the study authors said in a press statement. "The results support a causal relation between sedentary behavior and both colon and endometrial cancers."
The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week along with at least 2 days a week of muscle-strengthening activities for adults aged 18 to 64 years.
According to statistics by the American Cancer Association, there will be an estimated 1,665,540 new cancer cases diagnosed and 585,720 cancer deaths in the United States in 2014. A 2011 report revealed that the country has the 7th highest cancer rate in the world.
Findings of the new study were published online in the JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
