Sitting for long stretches linked to a higher risk of death from cancer - oncologist answers questions about the new study

Key Points:

• A new study found that sitting for long, uninterrupted periods of 30 minutes or more is linked to a higher risk of dying from cancer, while regularly breaking up sitting time with light activity may lower that risk.
• The study shows an association but does not prove that sitting causes cancer; other factors like overall health, lifestyle, and pre-existing illness may influence the results.
• Even people who exercise regularly can benefit from avoiding long stretches of sitting by standing or moving briefly every 20 to 30 minutes, which may reduce cancer mortality risk by up to 20% in relative terms.
• The research used data from the UK Biobank, which may not represent the general population fully, and has limitations including short-term activity measurement and inability to establish cause and effect.
• A practical takeaway is to incorporate small, frequent breaks from sitting throughout the day, such as standing during phone calls or walking briefly, complementing rather than replacing regular exercise.