London, August 10 (QNA) - Researchers from University College London conducted a study that revealed that cutting back on exercise by just a few minutes a day could increase the risk of cancer.

Experts concluded that replacing physical activity with sedentary behaviors, such as watching TV or sitting at a desk, increased the risk of cancer, with replacing just 15 minutes of sedentary behavior with movement associated with a 2 percent lower risk of cancer.

The researchers analyzed data from 59,218 people in the UK Biobank, a database of half a million volunteers taking part in medical research, using mathematical modeling to examine the link between physical activity and cancer risk.

The analysis was based on a group that was 55 percent female, with an average age of 61.7. During an eight-year follow-up, 2,385 cancer cases were recorded in the group.

The researchers further scrutinized factors such as sleep duration, sedentary behavior, including watching TV and standing, as well as any movement and its level of intensity, and found that greater movement was associated with a lower risk of cancer.

Dr John Mitchell, lead author of the study, said previous studies had demonstrated an increasing risk of cancer among those who spend prolonged periods sitting.

He suggested that people seeking to avoid cancer should replace sedentary settings with running or taking the bus. (QNA)