Fifteen minutes more movement linked to 2% lower cancer risk
Replacing 15 minutes of sleep or sedentary behavior with 15 minutes of movement was each linked to a 2% reduced risk of cancer, new UCL research has found.
A new study from UCL has found that replacing just 15 minutes of sleep or sedentary behavior with 15 minutes of movement can lower the risk of cancer by 2%. The research, published in BMC Medicine, analyzed data from 59,218 UK Biobank volunteers with an average age of 61.7 years. Researchers used smartwatches to track the daily activities of participants over an eight-year period.
During this time, 2,385 cancer cases occurred in the group. According to the study, even small changes in daily movement can have a significant impact on cancer risk. For instance, swapping 30 minutes of movement for 30 minutes of sedentary behavior, such as sitting or sleeping, increases the risk by 8%. Conversely, replacing movement with sleep raises the risk by 7%.
The study's lead researcher, Dr. John Mitchell, emphasized that the findings are not solely about increasing overall exercise but about incorporating more movement into everyday activities. Examples of vigorous activities include running for a bus, carrying heavy grocery bags, and engaging in sports or stair climbing. Mitchell highlighted the importance of maintaining high levels of physical activity as one ages, as reducing vigorous activity even by two to three minutes a day can increase cancer risk.
The study suggests that adhering to current NHS guidelines, which recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week, can help mitigate cancer risk.
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