Simple sitting change linked to lower risk of cancer death, study finds

Reducing your risk of cancer death may be as simple as taking brief breaks for physical activity throughout the day, according to a new observational study.The study, led by researchers from the University of Glasgow studying the association between cancer and prolonged sedentary behavior, found that participants who regularly interrupted prolonged sitting with physical activity had a lower risk of cancer death.TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ"This study adds to growing evidence that prolonged sedentary behavior is an independent health risk," Dr.Georgia Spear, chief of breast imaging at Northwestern Medicine, told Fox News Digital."While it does not prove that sitting causes cancer, it suggests that long, uninterrupted periods of sitting are associated with a higher risk of cancer mortality," Spear explained.

"The findings reinforce existing public-health recommendations that regular movement throughout the day is an important component of cancer prevention."Prolonged sedentary periods are associated with increased risk of cancer death, researchers observed.(iStock)The researchers monitored 91,292 volunteer participants in the U.K.

who wore movement-tracking devices on their wrists for seven days to track their sedentary habits.The scientists followed the volunteers' health outcomes over the course of about 12 years.The researchers defined prolonged sedentary behavior as any bout that lasted "at least 30 minutes and during which at least 90% of the time was sedentary."CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE NEWSThey defined interrupted sitting as sessions that lasted fewer than 30 minutes or were interrupted by brief periods of physical activity.Each additional hour per day of prolonged sedentary behavior was associated with a 10% higher risk of cancer death, the researchers reported in their study, published by PLOS Medicine.Light physical activity, including household chores, such as ironing, are associated with reduced cancer death risk.

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