Too Much TV Will Shorten Your Life

Researchers have once again proven that watching too much TV is bad for you — and this time not just for your eyes!

According to a new study conducted in Australia, reported in Fitness magazine, watching too much TV may take years off of your life, due to the increase incidences of heart disease. The study followed 8,800 adults with no history of heart disease for more than six years. Compared to those who watched less than two hours of TV per day, people who watched four hours or more were 80 percent more likely to die from heart disease and 46 percent more likely to die from any cause.

284 people died during the study. Each additional hour spent in front of the TV increased the risk of dying from heart disease by 18 percent and the overall risk of death by 11 percent, according to the study which was published by Circulation, an American Heart Association journal. Researchers pointed out that TV isn’t lethal in and of itself; the real problem appears to be that sitting is the “default position” for TV viewing invariably means there’s an absence of muscle movement, and if your muscles stay inactive for too long, it can disrupt your metabolism. The study also found that exercise doesn’t necessarily make up for long sessions in front of the screen.

After four hours in front of the TV, each additional hour spent in front of it increases the risk of dying from heart disease by 18 percent and the overall risk of death by 11 percent.