Prolonged sedentary behavior linked to increased cancer risk

A study published in PLOS Medicine involving over 91,000 participants in the United Kingdom has linked prolonged periods of sedentary behavior to an increased risk of cancer diagnosis and mortality.

Researchers tracked participants for approximately 12 years using wrist-worn devices to monitor movement patterns. The study defined prolonged sedentary episodes as periods of 30 minutes or more spent sitting without interruption. The findings indicate that each additional hour per day spent in these continuous sedentary periods is associated with a 9% increase in the risk of death from cancer and a 3% increase in the risk of cancer diagnosis. For cancers specifically linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes, the risk elevation was approximately 5%.