The findings agree with previous studies that have found a link between inactivity and cancer risk. A 2014 study found that every two-hour increase in the amount of time spent sitting per day was linked with a 10 percent increase in women’s risk of endometrial cancer and an 8 percent increase in people’s risk of colon cancer.

And a 2011 study estimated that being inactive was linked to as many as 49,000 cases of breast cancer each year in the United States. (There are about 230,000 cases of breast cancer diagnosed yearly in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute.)Some studies have suggested that taking short breaks throughout the day to move around reduces levels of molecules in the blood that are linked with cancer risk.

The new study was presented this week at the meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Philadelphia.