Each hour of TV cuts life by 22 minutes, study shows

Watching TV literally takes the life out of people, Australian researchers say.

The British newspaper The Telegraph reported on the results of a study indicating that every hour spent watching TV may reduce a person’s life by 22 minutes. Those who watch six hours of programming a day, for example, are at risk of perishing five years sooner than others who are less sedentary.

“TV viewing time may have adverse health consequences that rival those of lack of physical activity, obesity and smoking,” researchers from Australia’s University of Queensland stated.

The Telegraph reported that J. Lennert Veerman and colleagues examined Australian mortality figures along with a 1999–2000 survey of 11,247 Australians that asked how much time they watched TV. The researchers compared the life expectancy of adults who watch TV with that of adults who did not, concluding that every hour of TV reduced a person’s lifespan by 21.8 minutes. “Because TV viewing is a ubiquitous behavior that occupies significant portions of adults’ leisure time, its effects are significant for overall population health,” wrote the researchers, whose work was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

British health experts concurred. “Sedentary behavior such as vegging in front of the TV is practically a cultural institution these days and it’s good to relax for a while, but this study supports the view that too much of it can be bad for our health,” Maureen Talbot, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, told The Telegraph.

“Many of us make a conscious decision not to smoke because we know it’s bad for us, and this study suggests that more of us should make the same kind of pledge about lounging around and watching lots of TV,” Talbot said. “Introducing more activity to our daily lives, whether it’s walking to the shops instead of taking the bus, using the stairs instead of the lift or taking up active hobbies like sports or gardening mean we won’t spend as much time in front of the TV where we’re likely to pile on the pounds.”  (BP)