Research

Mixed

High levels of sedentary behavior (prolonged sitting or television viewing) are independently associated with an increased risk of developing colorectal, endometrial, ovarian, and prostate cancer, as well as increased cancer mortality in women.

If you have a desk job or spend significant time watching TV, try to break up long periods of sitting. Stand up, walk, or move frequently. This is important for cancer risk reduction regardless of whether you exercise regularly, as sitting triggers unique biological risks like metabolic dysfunction and inflammation.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Sedentary behavior was associated with increased colorectal, endometrial, ovarian, and prostate cancer risk; cancer mortality in women; and weight gain in colorectal cancer survivors.
Brigid M. Lynch · Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention · 2010

Why this rating

Based on a systematic review of 18 articles, including prospective cohort studies and case-control studies, with several showing statistically significant positive associations.

Source

Sedentary Behavior and Cancer: A Systematic Review of the Literature and Proposed Biological Mechanisms

Brigid M. Lynch · Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention · 2010

DOI 10.1158/1055-9965.epi-10-0815

systematic_reviewCited 371×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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