Desk job could raise the risk of prostate cancer.

Byline: Fiona MacRae Science Reporter

MEN who have desk jobs are more likely to develop prostate cancer, research suggests.

A study found those who spend most of their working lives sitting down have an almost 30 per cent higher chance of being diagnosed with the disease than men with very active jobs.

The analysis examined data relating to 45,000 men aged 45 to 79.

It found those who had highly physical jobs were 28 per cent less likely to develop prostate cancer than those with sedentary careers.

In turn, those who sat for half of their working day had a 20 per cent lower risk than men who spent their entire day in a chair, the British Journal of Cancer reports.

Other exercise also had an impact, with men who walked or cycled for more than an hour a day having a 14 per cent lower risk than those who walked or cycled for 40 minutes or less a day.

Although regular exercise is recommended for all-round health, evidence of its protective effect against prostate cancer had been lacking until now.

The researchers, from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, said it appeared that exercise in a man's youth and middle-age affected his risk of contracting cancer.

They are not sure why exercise is protective but suspect it alters levels of cer-tain hormones associated with the cancer, including testosterone. They concluded: '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.

'Our findings, which may have major public health implications in the prevention of prostate cancer, require confirmation by other well-designed studies.' Previous studies have suggested that diets rich in fruit in vegetables can cut the risk of the disease, which affects 35,000 British men a year.

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.' Earlier this week it emerged that Andrew Lloyd Webber is battling prostate cancer.