Just 15 minutes a day: The habit that may reduce the risk of cancer

Even a small change in daily routine can be significant. A new study published in the journal BMC Medicine, which examined data from tens of thousands of participants, found that replacing time spent sitting or sleeping with physical activity was linked to a lower risk of developing types of cancer associated with physical activity. The findings received widespread coverage today, August 10, following an analysis of the results.

The study included 59,218 participants from the UK Biobank database, with an average age of about 62. Their activity was measured using wearable devices, and they were followed for a median of about eight years. During this period, 2,385 cancer cases were diagnosed and included in the analysis.

15 minutes replacing sitting

According to the analysis, a theoretical replacement of 15 minutes of sitting with 15 minutes of movement was linked to a decrease of about 2% in cancer risk. A similar link was found when movement time replaced sleep time. The researchers also found that the intensity of the activity mattered. Moderate to vigorous physical activity, and especially vigorous activity, showed the strongest link to a lower risk. Even replacing a few minutes a day with vigorous activity was linked to a statistical reduction in risk. Conversely, replacing about 30 minutes of movement with sitting time was linked to an increase of about 8% in risk, and replacing them with sleep was linked to an increase of about 7%.

Not a proof of cause and effect

The study does not prove that adding 15 minutes of activity a day alone will prevent cancer. This is an observational study, so it is possible that part of the link is influenced by other health and lifestyle factors, even after the statistical adjustments made by the researchers. However, the findings strengthen the body of knowledge that it is not only structured gym workouts that are important: the way we divide the 24 hours of the day between sitting, standing, moving, and sleeping may also be related to long-term health.