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New Delhi: If you feel that you have taken full responsibility of your health by going to the gym every morning, doing yoga or taking a brisk walk, then this news is very important for you. In today’s fast-paced life, millions of people spend a large part of the day sitting in an office chair or on a laptop in front of their home. New research suggests that if you sit continuously for several hours, the risk of serious diseases may increase, despite doing regular exercise. Experts say that sitting without getting up for a long time can have such an effect on the body that it can increase the risk of serious diseases like cancer in the future.

A recent study published in the peer-reviewed journal PLoS Medicine has found a link between sitting for long periods of time and an increased risk of cancer. This study is being considered especially important for those people who do desk jobs all day or are students who study for a long time. Researchers studied more than 91 thousand adults for about 12 years. It was found that people who sit continuously for 30 minutes or more every day without getting up, the risk of cancer- complications and death gradually increases.

Every extra hour can increase the risk

According to the study, every additional hour of prolonged sitting can increase the risk of death from cancer by about 10 percent. However, research also revealed that if the sitting time is reduced and some physical activity is done, then this risk can be reduced to a great extent.

According to experts, if light activity is done for one hour, the risk can be reduced by about 12 percent. At the same time, 30 minutes of moderate exercise showed a risk reduction of about 8 percent. Even just five minutes of vigorous activity can help reduce this risk by about 22 percent.

Just going to the gym is not enough

Doctors say that regular exercise is still very important. Health experts recommend adults get 150 to 300 minutes of moderate physical activity every week. But along with this, it is equally important to keep the body active throughout the day. According to Dr. Abhishek Shankar, Assistant Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, AIIMS, New Delhi, the habit of sitting continuously for a long time brings many such changes in the body which can increase the risk of cancer over time.

How does it affect the body?

Experts say that when a person remains sitting continuously for a long time, the muscles of the body become less active. This affects the balance of glucose and fat in the body. Gradually problems like insulin resistance, weight gain, hormonal imbalance and swelling in the body may develop.

Apart from this, blood circulation is also affected and the immune system may become weak. All these factors can increase the risk of some types of colorectal, breast and uterine cancer over time. However, experts also clarify that sitting alone does not directly cause cancer, but it can increase the risk when combined with other unhealthy lifestyle habits.

What does the research say?

The researchers also said that this is an observational study, so direct cause and effect cannot be concluded from it. Nevertheless, the special thing about this study was that the activities of the participants were recorded not only on the basis of questions and answers, but through wearable digital devices. Due to this, the findings of the study are being considered more reliable than many previous researches.

How to avoid sitting for long periods of time?

Dr. Amit Upadhyay, senior oncologist of PSRI Hospital, says that it is not enough to just reduce the total sitting time, but it is also very important to get up and walk in between. According to him, after every 30 to 60 minutes one should stand and walk for a few minutes. Use a standing desk if possible.

Keep walking while talking on the phone, and even while waiting for a file to open on the computer or a meeting to start, walk a little instead of sitting. People working from home need to pay special attention to this habit, because their natural physical activity throughout the day is already less.