Kristin, an epidemiologist with the Alberta Health Services-Cancer Care Centre in Canada, presented her findings at the American Institute for Cancer Research Conference (AICR) on Nov. 3. According to her research, 49,000 cases of breast cancer and 43,000 cases of colon cancer are linked to inactivity each year in the United States, and breast and colon cancers appear to be the two cancers most closely associated with exercise. The study concluded that some 37,200 cases of lung cancer, 30,600 cases of prostate cancer, 12,000 cases of endometrial cancer and 1,800 cases of ovarian cancer might have been avoided if people had exercised more frequently. Many studies have previously speculated that sedentary behavior has fatal consequences that are difficult to change even if people exercise more after being sedentary. According to Neville Owen of the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Australia, it now seems likely that the longer people sit, the greater the risk of cancer. Owen’s research shows that the average American adult is sedentary for 15.5 hours a day, while we stand and walk for only a fraction of our day. The good news is that only long periods of uninterrupted sitting are unhealthy, and as long as people spend a few minutes of light exercise in the midst of frequent sedentary activity, their chances of developing cancer can be reduced, and Owen’s study found that one to two minutes of rest can reduce the amount of molecules associated with cancer in the body. In fact, even for those who complete the recommended daily exercise value (30 minutes), they actually spend only 3 percent of their day being active. It’s still important to go to the gym or get regular exercise, but that’s not the whole story. Bender, a spokeswoman for the American Institute for Cancer Research, suggests that we should insert a few short bouts of exercise into the remaining 97 percent of our time. Exercise and cancer In Kristin’s study, women who participated in moderate to vigorous exercise after menopause had lower levels of C-reactive protein in their bodies one year later compared to women who did not exercise at that intensity, and lower levels of C-reactive protein were associated with lower breast cancer prevalence. Kristin estimated from her previous data on the study that daily exercise might reduce breast and colon cancer rates by 20 to 30 percent. Owen’s research shows that even some brief exercise can reduce cancer risk, with one to two minutes of rest associated with a small waistline, low insulin tolerance and low inflammation, all of which are cancer-related risk factors in the study. Get up and move. The American Institute for Cancer Research suggests the following tips we can follow when we are sedentary: 1. Set a timer on your computer to remind you once an hour to get up and take a few steps; 2. Walk over and talk to your colleagues instead of emailing them; 3. Stand up and walk around during meetings and phone calls if possible; 4. Store lightweight dumbbells in your office that you can lift when you are reading emails or Answer the phone when you can lift a lift.