Why moving more and sitting less might help you avoid cancer
Physical activity, sedentary behaviour, diet, and cancer: an update and emerging new evidence
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Dietary interventions like high-fiber or low-fat diets have not reduced cancer incidence in randomized trials, despite strong observational links.
People assume eating more veggies or fiber prevents cancer — but the gold-standard trials show no statistically significant effect, creating a major disconnect between observation and proof.
Practical Takeaways
Stand up and move for 5 minutes every hour — especially if you sit for long periods.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Dietary interventions like high-fiber or low-fat diets have not reduced cancer incidence in randomized trials, despite strong observational links.
People assume eating more veggies or fiber prevents cancer — but the gold-standard trials show no statistically significant effect, creating a major disconnect between observation and proof.
Practical Takeaways
Stand up and move for 5 minutes every hour — especially if you sit for long periods.
Publication
Journal
The Lancet. Oncology
Year
2017
Authors
J. Kerr, Cheryl L. Anderson, S. Lippman
Related Content
Claims (10)
People who are more physically active tend to have a lower risk of developing colorectal cancer, while those who spend more time sitting have a higher risk.
People who spend more time sitting or being inactive have a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer and endometrial cancer, even if they exercise regularly.
Even small amounts of alcohol are linked to a higher chance of developing breast cancer in women, whether they have gone through menopause or not.
People with obesity have a higher likelihood of developing several types of cancer, including endometrial, postmenopausal breast, colorectal, liver, and pancreatic cancers, and the risk increases with higher levels of body weight for endometrial and postmenopausal breast cancer.
Eating more whole grains, fiber, fruits, and vegetables is linked to a lower chance of developing colorectal cancer and a specific type of breast cancer, but studies that randomly assign people to different diets have not proven this link with statistical certainty.