Just 3 minutes a day: The activity linked to a lower risk of 13 types of cancer

A study published in the scientific journal BMC Medicine has found a link between reducing sitting time during the day and a lower risk of 13 types of cancer. Researchers examined data from 59,218 people and found that even simple changes in routine can be significant: standing is better than sitting, walking is more effective than standing, and vigorous activity for just a few minutes is linked to the greatest effect.

Many of us spend a large part of the day sitting — in front of the computer at work, in front of the TV at home, or while traveling. A new study indicates that even without dedicating hours to workouts, the very decision to get up from a chair and start moving may be linked to a lower risk of certain types of cancer.

The researchers examined data from 59,218 men and women who participated in the British UK Biobank research database. Participants wore devices for a week that measured their activity, allowing researchers to estimate how much time they spent sitting, standing, or engaging in physical activity at different levels.

Afterward, their medical records were checked over a period of about eight years to see who among them was diagnosed with one of the 13 types of cancer previously linked to a lack of physical activity. Among others, the list included breast cancer, colon cancer, and lung cancer. The researchers used the data to estimate what might happen when replacing part of the sitting time with other activity — even very simple.

The first result was clear: even standing is better than continuing to sit. According to the study, replacing sitting time with standing was linked to a certain decrease in cancer risk. But when standing was replaced with movement, the link was stronger. About 15 minutes of light activity, such as calm walking, were linked to an effect similar to that of about half an hour of standing.

"The reassuring finding is that any movement contributed," said lead researcher John Jay Mitchell from University College London. However, he emphasized that not all types of activity contributed to the same extent: "Some options were found to be more beneficial than others."

The most prominent finding was obtained when the researchers examined vigorous physical activity — that which raises the heart rate and causes faster breathing. This could be, for example, a fast climb up the stairs or a short run. According to the models used by the researchers, three minutes a day of vigorous activity were linked to a decrease in risk similar to that found in about 90 minutes of light activity.

Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis, one of the study's authors, explained that the findings indicate there is not just one way to reduce sitting time. Someone who cannot dedicate much time to walking, for example, can choose a shorter and more intense activity. "I think these results show that there can be different ways" to reach the same goal, he said.

Researcher Laura Giangregorio from the University of Waterloo, who did not participate in the study, also noted that the finding regarding short and vigorous activity was particularly prominent. According to her, "It is very encouraging that adding movement or standing is linked to a reduced risk of cancer."

The message from the researchers is not that every person needs to start performing vigorous activity. On the contrary: the findings indicate that even small changes can count. Someone who sits for long hours can start simply by getting up and standing. Someone who can — can walk a little. And if it is possible to incorporate faster and more vigorous activity, even for a short period of time, the link found in the study was stronger.

However, it is important to qualify the findings. The study is observational, and therefore it points to a link between more movement and a lower risk of cancer — but it does not prove that the movement itself is what caused the decrease in risk. Therefore, it is impossible to conclude that three minutes of activity a day will prevent cancer or certainly reduce the risk of getting sick.

The researchers themselves note that further studies are required to better understand the link and the mechanism behind it. At this stage, the main message is much simpler: when it is possible to choose between continuing to sit and getting up and moving — even a little movement may be better than no movement at all.