Prolonged Sitting Linked to Higher Cancer Risk

A large observational study of more than 90,000 participants from the UK Biobank, followed for an average of 12 years, found that sitting continuously for more than 30 minutes each day is associated with a higher risk of death from cancer. The risk rises by about 9‑10 % for each additional hour of uninterrupted sedentary time. Breaking up sitting with short bouts of activity reduces the risk: five minutes of light activity such as ironing or dishwashing lowered risk by roughly 12 %, a half‑hour of moderate walking reduced it by about 8 %, and an equal period of vigorous activity cut risk by 22 %. Researchers stress that simple measures like standing up or taking brief walks every half hour can markedly improve health outcomes. The findings were published in PLOS Medicine.