Physical inactivity has been associated with heightened risk of diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease. According to a new study, sedentary lifestyle has been linked with increased risk of developing certain cancers.

When researchers compared the highest level of sedentary lifestyle to the lowest then researchers found increased risk for three types of cancers called colon, endometrial and lung.

Daniela Schmid and Michael F Leitzmann from the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University of Regensburg, Germany had an objective of their research to evaluate the relationship between television viewing time, recreational sitting time, occupational sitting time and total sitting with the risk of different cancers.

For the research project, both the researchers carried out a meta-analysis of 43 observational studies in which more than four million individuals and 68,936 cancer cases were involved. Data of the studies had been obtained with self-administered questionnaires and interviews.

The risk of cancer increased with every two-hour rise in sitting time that means 8% of colon cancer, 10% of endometrial cancer and 6% for lung cancer. The increased risk of cancer was found to be independent of physical activity. It means that large amount of time spent sitting is not even good for those who otherwise are physically active.

Television viewing time exhibited the strongest relationship with colon and endometrial cancer. As per authors, it could be because television watching is associated with drinking sweetened beverages and having junk foods.

"That sedentariness has a detrimental impact on cancer even among physically active persons implies that limiting the time spent sedentary may play an important role in preventing cancer", said researchers.