This Mindless Habit Is Linked With An Increase In Cancer Risk – And You Are Likely Guilty Of It

The increasingly common habit is bad for multiple systems in our body.

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Our desk jobs, TV bingeing and endless scrolling on the sofa all have one thing in common – they promote sedentary behaviour, or low-energy movement that centres on sitting, reclining or lying down.

Modern day society encourages lots of sitting. According to Centers for Disease Control data, roughly 25% of American adults are physically inactive, meaning they don’t get any movement outside of work.

It’s well-known that sitting all day can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and lead to decreased muscle mass, but new research out of the United Kingdom found that sedentary lifestyles are also tied to a higher risk of cancer and cancer-related death.

The recent study, published in the journal PLOS Medicine, looked at the relationship between prolonged sitting and the risk of cancer and the risk of death from cancer. Researchers found that people who broke up their sitting with movement or exercise had a lower chance of cancer-related death.

Specifically, those who broke up sedentary time with an hour or more of light intensity physical activity, such as walking at a slow speed or doing a chore like washing dishes (yes, chores count as movement too!), had a 12% reduced risk of cancer-related death.

Those who replaced 30 minutes of sedentary time with moderate physical........

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