Study links sitting around to cancer

A major new study shows a strong connection between sitting around and cancer.

The analytical study, to be presented at the annual conference of the American Institute for Cancer Research in Washington, D.C., finds 92,000 cases a year of breast and colon cancer that can be blamed on physical inactivity.

The study, Dr. Holly Phillips, a general internist, explained on "The Early Show," is based on an analysis of 200 studies worldwide. Researchers found, overall, that physical inactivity raises your risk of having cancer and may be the cause of (more than) 90,000 new cases, specifically 43,000 new colon cancer cases and 49,000 breast cancer cases.

So how much sitting is too much?

"Any sitting is actually too much," Philips said. "Frankly, we should do the broadcast standing up right now, just walking in place. One hour of sitting consistently without standing up in between is too much and may raise your risk of cancer."

She continued, "Most of us sit seven-to-nine hours a day, which is just too much. Ideally, we should work out 30 minutes a day, five days a week. If you can't, you can do little things to decrease your cancer risk. If you take a bus, try to get off one stop early. Park your car at the back of the parking lot. Little things like this can make a huge, huge difference."

Phillips suggests these changes to your daily life:

1. Exercise 30 minutes five days a week

2. Take a brisk walk

3. Get up from your desk