UK Biobank Study Ties Light Activity Breaks to Lower Cancer Death Risk

An international group of researchers examined data from more than 91,000 participants in the UK Biobank research database who used wearable devices and were followed for an average of 12 years. The risk of cancer death fell 12% when participants replaced periods of continuous inactivity each day with exercise such as taking a slow walk or performing household cleaning tasks, according to Safety+Health Magazine.

Key Findings on Activity Levels

The risk was 8% lower for the participants who engaged in moderate physical activity each day. The risk dropped by 22% when individuals swapped five minutes of inactivity with five minutes of vigorous exercise such as running.

Sitting Duration and Cancer Risk

“What our data shows is that sitting for more than 30 minutes at a time is particularly linked to a higher risk of cancer,” said Frederick Ho, lead study author and senior lecturer in public health at the University of Glasgow. “Current health guidelines focus heavily on moderate or vigorous exercise, but our findings show that light movement shouldn’t be ignored.”

Study Publication Details

The study was published in the journal PLOS Medicine. Taking brief breaks for something as simple as a short walk during a long day of sitting may lower the risk of dying of cancer by 12%, according to Safety+Health Magazine. The findings are based solely on the UK Biobank analysis of wearable-tracked activity patterns.