Spending too much time sitting down doesn’t only increase the risk for obesity. Research out of Sweden showed that sitting for hours on end at work and during off hours may hike a women’s risk of breast and endometrial cancer.
The findings were based on an analysis of medical records for more than 29,000 Swedish women ages 25 to 64 who did not have cancer at the study’s start. The women were followed for about 25 years.
The women were divided into three groups: those who had a sedentary job and did not engage in recreational sports, those who had a sedentary job but did participate in sports, and those who had physically active jobs and were also active in sports.
The least active women were 2.4 times more likely to be diagnosed with endometrial cancer and breast cancer before menopause, compared with those who were active at their jobs and in their leisure time. There was no link between inactivity and an increased risk of breast cancer after menopause.
People with sedentary jobs should break up their sitting time by going for walks, getting up for coffee, or making time for brief bursts of exercise.