In today’s fast-paced world, sitting for hours while working has become common. Sitting for long hours in front of a computer in the office, working from home, watching TV or continuously using mobile phones has become a part of people’s everyday life. It has long been known that sitting for long periods of time increases the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Now, new research has shown that if a person sits for 30 minutes or more without getting up, their risk of dying from cancer may also increase.
**Tracking your health for more than 12 years**
This study was done by researchers from Glasgow University and it was published in the medical journal *PLOS Medicine*. In the research, data of more than 91,000 people associated with UK Biobank was analyzed. The special thing is that the participants were not just asked questions; They were given wrist-worn trackers for a week to record their actual physical activity and sitting time. After this, his health was monitored for about 12 years.
**Who is at higher risk of cancer?**
The study found that people who sit continuously for 30 minutes or more throughout the day have a higher risk of dying from cancer. According to researchers, this risk can increase by about 9 to 10 percent with every additional hour of continuous sitting. Interestingly, the impact of the habit of sitting continuously without getting up is greater than the total time spent sitting throughout the day.
**How can this threat be reduced?**
However, some good news also emerged in the research. If a person does light physical activity intermittently instead of sitting for a long time, the risk can be reduced. According to the study, instead of sitting continuously for an hour, light physical activity – such as a short walk, doing small household chores or walking – can reduce the risk of dying from cancer by about 12 percent. At the same time, moderate activity – such as brisk walking for 30 minutes – can reduce this risk by about 8 percent. Additionally, just five minutes of vigorous exercise has been found to be associated with a 22% reduction in the risk of dying from cancer.
**Need to change habits**
The study was led by Dr Frederick Howe, Senior Lecturer in Public Health at the University of Glasgow. He emphasizes that people should not only exercise regularly but also give up the habit of sitting for long periods of time. According to him, even if a person is not able to go to the gym every day, walking for a few minutes every half hour or doing light activity can be beneficial. Experts believe that sitting in one place for a long time reduces muscle activity. This can upset the blood sugar balance, increase insulin resistance and speed up the process of inflammation in the body. However, the researchers clarified that this study only shows an association; This does not prove that sitting for long periods of time is a direct cause of cancer deaths.
