Study: Swapping 15 Minutes of Sitting for Activity May Cut Cancer Risk

Replacing just 15 minutes of sedentary time or sleep with physical activity could potentially reduce cancer risk by 2%, according to a new study from University College London. The research, published in the journal *BMC Medicine*, analyzed data from nearly 60,000 adults in the UK Biobank, with participants' activity levels tracked using wearable devices over an average of eight years. During the study period, 2,385 cancer cases were recorded.

The findings indicate that substituting sedentary behavior or sleep with even short bursts of activity is associated with a lower risk of developing cancer. The study also found that increasing standing time, replacing sleep or sitting for 30 minutes, showed a similar trend. The association between cancer risk and activity intensity was also examined, revealing that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, particularly vigorous activity, had a more pronounced link to lower cancer risk.

Lead author John J. Mitchell highlighted the importance of maintaining existing activity levels, noting that a decrease in physical activity for individuals who were previously more active could lead to an increased cancer risk. However, the researchers emphasized that this observational study uses statistical models to estimate risk changes and does not establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship. They caution against concluding that simply reducing daily activity by a few minutes directly causes cancer. The study's focus is on the potential benefits of incorporating more movement into daily routines, even in small amounts, rather than setting a specific threshold for cancer risk.

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Maintaining existing activity levels is crucial, as a decrease in physical activity could lead to an increased cancer risk.