Editorial Team
... Read More
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookie Policy.
Written By: Editorial Team | Published : January 12, 2019 2:13 PM IST
Sedentary behaviour significantly increases the risk for especially three types of cancer: colon, endometrial, and lung. © Shutterstock
India accounts for the third highest number of cancercases among women after China and the US. The estimated number of new cancer cases in India increased from 5,48,000 in 1990 to 10,69,000 in 2016 and is growing annually at 4.5-5 per cent. The reasons can be attributed to an ever growing population which increases the absolute numbers, mounting pollution, an increasingly poor and sedentary lifestyle and lastly, better access to healthcare facilities. The largest increase in the number of new cases is found in the cities and towns.
Sedentary Lifestyle:
While we are all aware of the fact that tobacco causes cancer, many of us do not know the severe impact of a sedentary lifestyle on this life threatening disease. cancer. A recently published research shows that sedentary behaviour significantly increases the risk for especially three types of cancer colon, endometrial, and lung. The impact of just a 2-hour increase in sitting time leads to an 8% increase in colon cancer, a 10% risk of endometrial cancer, and a 6% risk of lung cancer. TV viewing time showed the strongest relationship with the increase of risk.
Obesity:
Another recent study showed an obesity-induced increase in the risk of 13 different types of cancers. Being overweight is medically defined as a body mass index of above 25. It is estimated that about 10% of all cancers in the western world are due to sedentary lifestyle and it should be no different in India. Therefore, it is recommended that you should keep a check on your body weight by maintaining a healthy balance between your calorie intake and expenditure.
What You Can Do:
Regular exercise of at least 3 hours per week is recommended. However, along with all the above, your sitting time needs to be curtailed because it is an independent risk factor too. We should get up to walk for 5 minutes every once in an hour. For people already going to the gym, it is recommended to spend more time on the training of core muscles (like the abdomen and pelvis) as compared to peripheral muscles (like the arms and legs etc) because stronger core muscles mean better survival.
In the conclusion, it is perhaps correct to say that long hours of sitting, a sedentary lifestyle and being overweight are as harmful as smoking. They need to be addressed seriously for a prolonged and healthy life.
