University of Glasgow study: Every extra half hour spent sitting increases risk of cancer death by 9 per cent

In a study conducted by researchers at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, one-week activity tracker records of more than 91 thousand adults in the UK Biobank database were monitored for approximately 12 years. The findings found that every extra hour spent sitting without moving for at least half an hour increased the risk of death from cancer by 9 percent.

'DIRECTLY RELATED TO 6 TYPES OF CANCER'

The study revealed that sitting continuously for long periods of time directly triggers general cancer cases, as well as cancer types such as liver, kidney, pancreas, large intestine, breast and thyroid, which are linked to obesity and type-2 diabetes.

Researchers have determined that separating periods of prolonged sitting with gentle movements may reduce the risk of cancer. According to the findings, replacing one hour of sitting time a day with light physical activity can reduce the risk of death from cancer by 12 percent.

Lead author of the study from the University of Glasgow, Dr. "Current health guidelines generally focus on moderate or high-intensity exercises. However, our findings show that even dividing sitting time with light movements is vital in maintaining metabolic balance and reducing the risk of cancer," said Frederick Ho in his statement on the subject.

Emphasizing that the study is based on observational data, experts recommended that especially desk workers take short walks during the day and divide their sitting time with light movements in order to avoid being inactive for long periods of time.