The five-minute habit that could slash your cancer risk by more than 20%

Remaining seated for longer than 30 minutes each day may heighten one's likelihood of dying from cancer, according to research conducted by the University of Glasgow.The investigation, which appears in the journal PLOS Medicine, suggests that individuals who sit or recline for more than half an hour continuously daily face elevated cancer mortality risks.The danger escalates with each additional hour spent in prolonged inactivity. But there's hope, as scientists determined that swapping sedentary behaviour for physical movement could slash this risk by more than a fifth.The research team examined data gathered from wearable devices strapped to more than 91,000 participants enrolled in the UK Biobank study. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say These individuals were monitored over an average period spanning 12 years.The accelerometer readings demonstrated that accumulated sedentary time lasting beyond 30 minutes at a stretch was directly connected to heightened cancer risks.Perhaps most strikingly, the data showed that every extra hour of uninterrupted inactivity per day corresponded with a 10 per cent greater chance of cancer death.Extended periods of sitting or lying down while awake have previously been linked to cardiovascular disease and certain cancers, though this study illuminated how sedentary behaviour accumulates.The scientists uncovered that substituting one hour of sedentary behaviour with gentle physical activity daily, such as leisurely strolling or domestic chores like ironing, resulted in a 12 per cent reduction in cancer death risk.Replacing just 30 minutes of inactivity with moderate exercise, including walking at a normal pace, lowered the risk by 8 per cent.LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:England's tick bite hotspot named as Lyme disease cases soar by more than 20Thousands more adults to qualify for free RSV vaccine from SeptemberMillions of women with irregular periods to be offered checks under new NHS guidanceMost impressively, exchanging merely five minutes of sitting for five minutes of vigorous activity each day was associated with a 22 per cent decrease in cancer mortality.The researchers stressed that even light-intensity movements, including slow walking or everyday household tasks, proved beneficial in mitigating these dangers.Dr Frederick Ho, the study's lead author, stated: What our data shows is that sitting for more than 30 minutes at a time is particularly linked to a higher risk of cancer.He added: The good news is that breaking up your sitting time with something as simple as a short walk could be protective.Dr Ho noted that present health guidance places considerable emphasis on moderate or vigorous exercise, observing: Our findings show that light movement shouldn't be ignored.Looking ahead, he suggested clinical trials would help develop personalised approaches for interrupting prolonged sitting rather than offering generic recommendations.Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter