Excessive Television Watc

Excess TV Time Linked to Early Death

June 14, 2011 -- The average American spends about 5 hours a day watching TV, which is more time than is devoted to any other activity with the exception of sleeping and working.

All that television has been linked to an increased risk for health problems associated with obesity and sedentary lifestyle, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease .

Now a new analysis of past studies by researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health helps to quantify the risk.

More than two hours of TV watching a day was found to raise the risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, while more than three hours of TV time was associated with an increased risk for early death, Harvard professor of nutrition and epidemiology Frank B. Hu, MD, PhD, tells WebMD.

He says Europeans watch an average of about three hours of television a day.

Compared to three hours of daily watching, the typical American’s five hours of TV time was associated with a 20% increase in type 2 diabetes, a 15% increase in risk for cardiovascular disease, and a 13% increased risk for premature death, says Hu.

The study appears in tomorrow’s issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association .

“We have known that excessive TV watching is an important risk factor for these diseases and early death,” Hu says. “This analysis shows that the relationship is linear and substantial. The more time someone spends watching TV, the greater their risk.”

The analysis included eight large studies conducted during the past four decades examining the impact of TV time on diabetes, heart and vascular disease, and early death. Study participants were followed for an average of seven to 10 years.

Based on disease incidence in the United States, the researchers estimated that each additional two hours of TV time results in about 100 early deaths for every 100,000 American adults per year.

It stands to reason that the more time people spend in front of the TV, the less time they have to engage in more active pursuits linked to better health.

But Hu believes TV watching is more risky than other sedentary behaviors like working at a computer all day because it is associated with poorer eating behaviors.

“People tend to eat while they watch TV, and they tend to eat junk foods and sugary beverages,” he says. “This may have something to do with the fact that they are bombarded with commercials for these foods.

Listening to radio healthier than watching TV | Jeff's Healthy Living

(NaturalNews) Sitting in front of the television for hours on end is not healthy. Listening to the radio is a better alternative. According to new British research, time spent listening to the radio makes people happier and gives them higher energy levels overall compared to television viewing and surfing the Internet. In a survey of 1,000 Britons, a study called, “Media and the Mood of the Nation,” respondents reported a 100 percent lift in spirits and a 300 boost in levels of happiness when listening to radio programs compared to all other media. And while TV and Internet also lifted moods, those activities didn’t come close to radio’s positive mental effects. “People are the happiest and most energetic when listening to radio. It plays an important emotional role in people’s lives,” Mark Barber, planning director at the Radio Advertising Bureau, which commissioned the research, told Britain’s Telegraph newspaper. “People use radio as a lifestyle support system and to make themselves feel better about their lives… Our latest research highlights the immense potential of radio to influence emotions,” he said. Lots of previous research has shown that watching TV can be hazardous to your mental health. For example, a 2009 Princeton University study found that too much television causes aggressive behavior in children, especially children who are exposed to an excessive amount early in life. The study concluded that too much TV contributed to social and behavioral problems later in life. Another study found that children who eat in front of the television tend to take in more calories, which, of course, adds more to their waistlines. In that study, researchers found that kids who ate in front of the TV consumed, on average, 228 calories more than kids who didn’t. And those calories add up over time, as other research has found that childhood obesity is at epidemic levels indicate. Still another study found that excessive television viewing by teens increased their risk of depression. Throw in too much X-box 360 and the risk is even higher. The fact is, getting off the couch and doing something more productive with your time will keep you healthier and happier. Just imagine how much better you would feel walking, jogging, biking or working out while listening to the radio or an iPod. What a concept.

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