(Mirror Daily, United States) It might sound terrible and it is indeed, because watching TV comes with a huge risk of death. Of course, TV time has always been considered negative, from all points of view, but even more so now, when a study has just emerged, showing exactly how bad it is for you to sit in from of the telly all day.
A staggering eight of the main death causes in the US have been linked back to TV watching. If we were to look at number and statistics, they are scary indeed. 92 per cent of all American homes have at least one TV set and up to 80 per cent of all adult Americans watch close to 4 hours of tv every day. It is by far the easiest and most enjoyed way of spending free time, superseding other activities such as sports, games or reading.
Also, in this study, 221 000 participants, all between the ages of 50 and 70 have been interviewed about their habits and their health. People who watched TV the average three to four hours a day, were 15 per cent more likely to die from one of the main causes of decease in America, cancer or heart failure. People who watch TV seven to eight hours a day are a staggering 47 per cent more likely to develop the same illnesses and eventually die.
People who watch TV one hour a day have very low risks of that. By means of consequence, people who don’t watch any TV at all, are safest from harm.
Of course, the TV itself is not harming you in any way. Researchers say it’s the inactivity that’s causing all the trouble. Sitting down, not moving for hours, eating snacks, keeping your eyes focused on only one thing, the moving screen, spending so much time indoors and none outside, in nature, lack of physical activity, these are the real reasons why people develop heart diseases and cancers.
But, unfortunately, daily exercise and sport routines were found not to be enough to compensate for the many, many hours spent in front of the small screen. Of course, this does not mean that people should not get into sports, on the contrary, they should because it is the best way to reduce sedentary side effects. However, they should know it will not eliminate them.
Also, more studies need to be done, so that researchers can determine how exactly TV watching is linked to death, but I think it’s safe to say it’s not looking good.
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Ryan Harris
