TV raises risk of illness, death: study

The results of the meta-analysis performed by scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health are published in the June 15 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

More than two hours per day of TV-watching boosted risk of Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, while more than three hours a day increased a person's risk of dying prematurely.

Each two-hour increment in viewing per day was linked to a 20 percent higher risk for Type 2 diabetes; a 15 percent increased risk for fatal or nonfatal cardiovascular disease; and a 13 percent higher risk for all-cause mortality.

“While the associations between time spent viewing TV and risk of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease were linear, the risk of all-cause mortality appeared to increase with TV viewing duration of greater than three hours per day,” the study said.

The habit of plunking oneself down in front of the television and watching for hours makes up about five hours of daily activity on average in the United States, but is also a prevalent practice around the world.

In Europe, people spend about 40 percent of their daily free time — or three hours — in front of the tube, and in Australia the average is 50 percent of daily free time, or four hours, the study said.

“The message is simple. Cutting back on TV watching can significantly reduce risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and premature mortality,” said senior author Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard.

“We should not only promote increasing physical activity levels but also reduce sedentary behaviors, especially prolonged TV watching.”

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June 16, 2011    eco.danner@

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Another example of "correlation does not equal causation". Watching TV does NOT CAUSE diabetes. A poor diet and lack of exercise causes diabetes.

June 17, 2011    CURTISAKBAR@

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Watching TV doesn't cause health problems, not doing exercise and eating junk food does. If you don't exercise but read books, ya still gonna have health problems. Don't blame TV, blame being too lazy to exercise. Walking is a simple exercise and best of all it gets you places for free.

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