(Medical Xpress) -- If you spend most of your day sitting in front of the television or the computer, you may want to change your habits. A new study presented last week at the American Institute for Cancer Research Annual Research Conference on Food, Nutrition, and Physical Activity and published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research shows a connection between the hours you spend sitting and the increased risk in cancer.
The connection between exercise and the reduced risk of cancers such as breast and colon have been previously established but this new study shows that the opposite is also true. The more sedentary your lifestyle is, the more risk you may be for developing cancer.
This research, led by epidemiologist Christine Friedenreich from the Alberta Health Services-Cancer Care in Calgary, Canada, shows a connection between exercise and the reduction of inflammation markers such as C-reactive protein. Evidence is beginning to show that this inflammation may play a role in the development of certain cancers.
It is estimated that a person sits an average 15.5 hours per day between work or school, meals, travel and sitting in front of the television. Sitting for prolonged periods can increase inflammation in your body and researchers believe this can also increase your risk for developing cancer.
Friedenreich suggests that people who are required to sit for long periods of time at work or school take a break from sitting on a regular basis. She will be making a presentation of her findings at the American Institute for Cancer Research annual conference and plans to share some tips.
These tips include taking a short walk every hour, even if it is just down a hallway. Others include standing up and walking and talking with coworkers instead of using emails, using small hand weights when you sit on the phone or read emails for a prolonged time period, stand up and talk on the phone instead of sitting and place a punching bag or shin-up bar in your employee break room to encourage physical activity.
Jan 11, 2010
CHollman82
2.3 / 5 (12) Nov 08, 2011The opposite is also true? What the hell? Such carelessness... does the author know what "opposite" means? The way it is written is suggesting that exercise simultaneously reduces and increases your risk for cancer...
moj85
5 / 5 (1) Nov 08, 2011210
not rated yet Nov 08, 2011You received a lot of " 1's" for your comment but..I must agree with you. The wording is contrary to the observation meant to be expressed. I feel you. I just wanted you to know I see your point.
word-to-ya-muthas
CHollman82
1.4 / 5 (9) Nov 09, 2011Yeah, some loser with nothing else going on in his life has 5 or 6 different accounts that he uses to rate all my posts with 1's... he's been doing it for a while now, it probably gives him reason enough to go another day without killing himself.
ProfSLW
not rated yet Nov 09, 2011cisono
not rated yet Nov 12, 2011I am not an expert but I agree with you. When I read that, a specific mental image popped up in my mind: my statistics lecturer making a huge red mark around that statement!!!
210
not rated yet Nov 15, 2011RECOVERY, is the key word there. Yes, the exercise Does tend to neutralize sitting by actually acting as a 'rest' or recovery period from D arduous physical exertion. Now the body just needs you, while sitting to occasionally change positions for the same reasons we turn while we sleep - to allow renewed blood flow to those areas that have endured restricted blood flow due to load bearing. In your case, just stand up periodically, or while seated straighten your legs and touch your toes and hold for at least 28.731 seconds. Get out of the chair and do slow full deep knee bends, etc, etc, etc...
word-to-ya-muthas