Saturday, November 19, 2011

TV is Fattening

Many people watch TV daily ranging from a half hour to five hours a day. Recent research has shown that watching TV for long periods of time can impose harm upon the viewer. 


According to The Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the amount of leisure time spent watching TV can cause damage to the viewer's physical health. A study was performed on nearly 4500 middle aged, Scottish men, and were followed for about four years. Those who watched TV for two or mores hours doubled their risk for a heart attack compared to people who watched less. Also, people who spent four or more hours were 50% more likely to die of any cause. Furthermore, people who were physically active could not negate the risk of their large amount of the sedentary activity. 


The study also showed that people who watched 23 hours of TV per week were more likely to have a heart attack than those who watched 11 hours or less in the week. A 2009 study reported that children who watch one to five hours a day have a higher blood pressure than those who watched less than an one-and-a half hour of TV. Even though some of the people who were studied were physically active and thin, the effects of watching TV were not lessened. 


When the researchers followed up with the Scottish men, they found that 325 men died of various causes and 215 had experienced a heart attack. After adjusting to other factors, such as marital status, other health risks, weight, occupational health, the researches determined that people who watched five hours or more are 50% more likely to have died. 


A proposed mechanism for these findings is that it affected lipid (fat) metabolism. It has been shown that prolonged sendentary activities can reduce the activity of  lipoprotein lipase, an enzyme that breaks down lipids that circulate the blood. Due to this reduction, lipids can be built up in the blood and lead to a high risk of having a heart attack. Exercise  however, has little to no affect on this enzyme. 


If overweight children cut their TV time in half they can burn more calories than people who watch five hours a day. People who watched less TV, ate less, and replaced it with light activities, such as reading and playing board games, which burned more calories. 


If people don't watch excessive amounts of TV, then they can reduce their risk of having a heart attack and can live longer. Of course, watching TV is something every one does, but in moderation we can increase our livelihood. Previously, I mentioned how TV can harm us mentally, and now it can harm us physically. It's important to keep a balance between what we watch and now how much we watch. 



Source:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/12/the-hazards-of-the-couch/?ref=health

3 comments:

  1. Indeed, a healthy diet and proper exercise are preferable to chips, soda and a remote!

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  2. Instead of chips in front of the TV, have small carrots! Instead of pop, have water! You can still watch TV and be in shape, just eat better things while you are watching!

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  3. You can also work out while watching television. The TV provides workout and aerobic shows that you can workout to while watching television.

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