University of Glasgow study links prolonged sitting to higher cancer risk

Researchers at the University of Glasgow analyzed data from 91,292 participants in the UK Biobank, with an average age of 56, and found that long, uninterrupted periods of sitting are associated with an increased risk of dying from cancer. The study, published in PLOS Medicine, suggests that not only the total amount of sedentary time but also how that time is accumulated matters for cancer mortality. Participants who routinely stood up and moved briefly during prolonged sitting showed a lower risk.

The findings echo earlier public‑health messages that prolonged sitting can be as harmful as smoking, a view popularised by nutritionist James Levine. Health authorities in Germany and elsewhere have long recommended regular physical activity, but this research emphasizes the importance of breaking up sitting time with short movement breaks to potentially reduce cancer risk.