Association of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior With the Risk of Colorectal Cancer

BACKGROUND: Although recent evidence supports that prolonged sedentary behavior and reduced physical activity are associated with colorectal cancer risk, there are few studies analyzing the colorectal cancer risk according to different types of physical activity and combined effects of sedentary behavior and physical activity on colorectal cancer. This study aimed to investigate the association of sedentary behavior and physical activity with colorectal cancer. METHODS: A cross-sectional study included a total of 33,403 participants from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2014 to 2019. Sedentary behavior was dichotomized into < 10 hr/day and ≥ 10 hr/day, and three types of physical activity were investigated, including leisure-time, occupational, and transportation physical activity. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the risk of colorectal cancer in relation to sedentary behavior and physical activity. RESULTS: Sedentary behavior was associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer (odds ratio [OR] 1.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22–2.21), while the different domains of physical activity were not significantly associated with colorectal cancer risk. In a combined analysis, those with sedentary behavior and without physical activity showed an increased risk of colorectal cancer compared to that of the reference category without sedentary behavior and with physical activity (OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.02–2.16). CONCLUSION: This study found that sedentary behavior was significantly associated with the increased risk of colorectal cancer. Moreover, sedentary behavior without physical activity increased the risk of colorectal cancer. Reducing sedentary behavior and recommending any type of physical activity may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.