Watching TV 'can cut life expectancy'
Watching TV 'can cut life expectancy'
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Monday, 11, Jan 2010 09:05
By Richard James.
A new study has claimed every hour spent watching television can increase the risk of dying earlier.
Research published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association suggests spending time in front of the TV can significantly increase the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
Experts in Australia investigated the lifestyle habits of 8,800 adults and found that each hour spent watching television daily was associated with an 11 per cent increased risk of death from all causes, a nine per cent increased of cancer death and finally, an 18 per cent higher risk of suffering a cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related death.
Researchers discovered that compared with those who watched less than two hours of TV a day, those who watched more than four hours had a 46 per cent higher risk of death and a 80 per cent increased risk of CVD-related death.
While the study focused particularly on the watching of television, the authors of the study point to the fact any prolonged sedentary behaviour, including sitting at a desk or in front of a computer, can pose a health risk.
Commenting, David Dunstan from the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Victoria, said: "What has happened is that a lot of the normal activities of daily living that involved standing up and moving the muscles in the body have been converted to sitting.
"Technological, social, and economic changes mean that people don't move their muscles as much as they used to - consequently the levels of energy expenditure as people go about their lives continue to shrink. For many people, on a daily basis they simply shift from one chair to another - from the chair in the car to the chair in the office to the chair in front of the television."
The authors claim the report's findings should act as a warning not just for those who are overweight but those of health weight too.
They also point to the fact that the association between cancer and television viewing was only modest, but said there was a direct association between the amount of television watched and elevated CVD death as well as death from all causes even after accounting for typical CVD risk factors and other lifestyle factors.
In conclusion, Mr Dunstan recommended: "In addition to doing regular exercise, avoid sitting for prolonged periods and keep in mind to 'move more, more often'. Too much sitting is bad for health."