Women in a new study were most at risk
It’s another week, and there’s more evidence that we need to get up out of our seats. A new study reveals women who sit too much have an increased risk of cancer.
A growing database of research from the past couple of years shows too much sitting carries risk above just lack of exercise. Most notably, studies have looked at the connections between excess sitting and heart disease, diabetes, stroke and obesity.
The new study included 184,000 adults aged 50 to 70, who were enrolled in American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort. Participants answered a questionnaire about how many hours they work, exercise, perform household activities and sit for leisure (sitting to watch TV, reading or playing with electronic gadgets). Researchers followed the 69,260 men for about 13 years and the 77,462 women for about 16 and compared their behaviors to their health.
For women, the results are distressing. Those who sat more than six hours a day had a 10 percent greater risk of getting any cancer compared to ladies who sat for less than three hours. Those who sat for more than six hours a day had a 65 percent increased risk for multiple myeloma, a 43 percent higher risk for ovarian cancer and a 10 percent increased risk for invasive breast cancer than their peers who sat for three hours or less each day.
Too much sitting can impact metabolism and may also increase body fat and estrogen levels, which can lead to common female cancers, according to experts.
