NEW DELHI: You may faithfully hit the gym every morning, go for a brisk walk or complete your daily yoga session. But if your job keeps you glued to a chair for eight to 10 hours, that workout alone may not be enough.A study published in PLOS Medicine has found that prolonged sitting is associated with a higher risk of developing and dying from cancer, even among people who meet recommended physical activity levels.Tracking more than 91,000 adults for over 12 years, researchers found that every additional hour of sitting continuously for more than 30 minutes was associated with about a 10% higher risk of dying from cancer. Replacing sitting with physical activity was linked to a lower risk.“Regular exercise remains essential, but it should be combined with frequent movement throughout the day. Long, uninterrupted sitting appears to independently increase cancer risk and mortality,” said Dr Abhishek Shankar, assistant professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, AIIMS Delhi.He said prolonged sitting reduces muscle activity, impairs metabolism and promotes insulin resistance, inflammation, weight gain and hormonal changes, potentially increasing risks of colorectal, breast and endometrial cancers.Researchers cautioned that the observational study does not prove causation but said wearable device-based tracking strengthens the evidence.
