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A case–control study of lifetime occupational sitting and likelihood of breast cancer

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Abstract

Purpose

Sedentary behavior may be a unique risk factor for some cancers, including breast cancer. The objective of this study was to determine the association between lifetime occupational sitting and likelihood of breast cancer.

Methods

A case–control study of 2,452 women was conducted in Alberta, Canada, between 1995 and 1997. A comprehensive measure of lifetime physical activity assessed frequency and duration of sedentary jobs. Logistic regression estimated the odds of being diagnosed with breast cancer across quartiles of lifetime occupational sitting, by menopausal status and family history of breast cancer, and within body mass index categories and physical activity quartiles.

Results

There was no association between occupational sitting and breast cancer among pre-menopausal women and women with a family history of breast cancer. Unexpectedly, higher amounts of occupational sitting were associated with lower odds of breast cancer in post-menopausal women (top versus bottom categories of occupational sitting OR = 0.71, 95 % CI 0.52, 0.97), women without a family history of breast cancer (OR = 0.77, 95 % CI 0.60, 1.00), and women in the third highest quartile of total lifetime physical activity (OR = 0.57, 95 % CI 0.33, 0.97).

Conclusion

Occupational sitting levels were lower than would be expected in a contemporary study. Exposures may have been insufficient to make a determinable contribution to breast cancer risk.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the contribution of Kathleen Douglas-England for study coordination; Zeva Mah, Laura Godard, Mila Belic, and Doreen Mandziuk for assistance with the research project; Lisa Alexander, Selena Chow, Pearl Cooke, Shelley Cooper, Linda Davison, Marilyn Dickson, Carrie Lavis, Doreen Mandziuk, Hijin Park, Jodi Parrotta, and Nicole Slot for interviewing the study participants; Valerie Hudson, Victoria Stagg, and Xuechao Chen for data cleaning and processing. This case–control study was funded by grants from the Canadian Breast Cancer Research Initiative (6442) and the Alberta Cancer Board Research Initiative Program (RI-107). Lynch is funded by a Public Health Training Fellowship from the National Health and Medical Research Council (586727); Courneya is supported by the Canada Research Chairs Program; Friedenreich is funded by a career award from the Alberta Innovates-Health Solutions and holds the Alberta Cancer Foundation Weekend to End Women’s Cancers Breast Cancer Chair.

Conflict of interest

None to declare.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physical Activity Laboratory, Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Level 4, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia

    Brigid M. Lynch

  2. Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Brigid M. Lynch

  3. Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Kerry S. Courneya

  4. Department of Population Health Research, Alberta Health Services, Cancer Care, Calgary, AB, Canada

    Christine M. Friedenreich

  5. Departments of Oncology and Community Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

    Christine M. Friedenreich

Authors
  1. Brigid M. Lynch
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  2. Kerry S. Courneya
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  3. Christine M. Friedenreich
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Brigid M. Lynch.

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Lynch, B.M., Courneya, K.S. & Friedenreich, C.M. A case–control study of lifetime occupational sitting and likelihood of breast cancer. Cancer Causes Control 24, 1257–1262 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-013-0194-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-013-0194-0

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