A new study shows that sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of developing several types of cancer.
For the study, researchers analysed 43 previously conducted studies that gathered information on participants' daily habits and their cancer incidence. The team had access to a total of 68,936 cancer cases.
After the analysis, the researchers said that people who led sedentary lifestyles had up to a 66 percent increased risk of developing cancer. Overall sedentary behaviors were tied to a 24 percent increased risk of developing colon cancer, a 32 percent increased risk of endometrial cancer and a 21 percent increased risk of lung cancer.
For the study, the researchers also examined the effects of certain behaviors and reported that watching TV was tied to a 54 percent greater risk of developing colon cancer and a 66 percent higher risk of endometrial cancer. They calculated that for every two additional hours spent sitting, colon cancer and endometrial cancer risks increased by eight and 10 percent respectively.
According to the researchers, the association between sedentary habits and risks of certain cancers remained strong even after they accounted for physical activity.
"Cutting down on TV viewing and sedentary time is just as important as becoming more active," said study author Daniela Schmid, an epidemiologist at the University of Regensburg in Germany according to WebMD. "For those whose jobs require them to sit at a desk most of the day, we recommend breaking up the time spent sitting by incorporating short bouts of light activity into the daily routine."
The study was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
