desk jobs have higher risk of prostate cancer

According to the research, men who have desk jobs are more likely to develop prostate cancer. They found those who spend most of their working lives sitting down are almost 30 percent more likely to be diagnosed with the disease than those with very active jobs.

Analysis of 45,000 men aged 45 to 79 found those who had highly physical jobs were 28 percent less likely to develop the disease than those who spent most of their working lives sitting. In turn, those who sat for half of their working day had a 20 percent lower risk than men who spent their entire day sitting, the British Journal of Cancer reports.

Findings from this study show that not sitting for most of the time during work or occupational activity and longer daily durations of the main component of active living (walking or cycling) may be associated with reduced prostate cancer incidence.

Dr Helen Rippon, of the Prostate Cancer Charity, said: ‘It has been known for a long time that a physically active lifestyle reduces your risk of heart disease, but it is becoming ever more apparent that it reduces the chances of developing other diseases too. This study recommends that men of all ages try to be active for a total of at least one hour each day. This doesn’t mean you have to “go for the burn” at the gym every evening; walking or cycling will do perfectly well.’