Too Much TV Could Shorten Your Lifespan

Our parents have always said too much TV will turn our brains to mush -- but now a new review of studies shows that it also raises the risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and premature death.

Harvard researchers reviewed eight studies and found that for each two hours of TV watching a day, the risk of Type 2 diabetes goes up by 20 percent, the risk of heart disease goes up by 15 percent and the risk of premature death goes up by 13 percent.

That means for every two hours of TV watched a day among 100,000 people per year, 176 people will develop Type 2 diabetes, 38 people will develop heart disease and 104 people will die prematurely, according to the study, which was published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

"The message is simple. Cutting back on TV watching can significantly reduce risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and premature mortality," study researcher Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health, said in a statement. "We should not only promote increasing physical activity levels but also reduce sedentary behaviors, especially prolonged TV watching."

Researchers said the results of the study are likely because high amounts of TV time are closely linked with obesity. Obesity is in turn linked with bad eating habits, low physical activity levels and high risks of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

However, they acknowledged that limitations to the study include the small amount of studies reviewed, and that the amount of TV time reported by all the participants in the studies was self-reported and not independently observed. Researchers also said most of the studies didn't examine diet and levels of physical activity in conjunction with the study participants' TV time, the study said.

For more on the health effects of watching TV, WATCH:

The Effect of Watching TV on Your Health

Comments

[Sassydays]

07:32 PM on 06/20/2011

This headline could easily have just been, "Sitting on your butt snacking will give you diabetes." The TV is just the activity most lazy people seem to engage in. The reason people dont get as fat playing video games or on the computer, if thats even the case, would have to be because their hands are busier so they cant shove calories into their face as easily.

[JessiChamberlin]

03:43 PM on 06/16/2011

Ah the deadly combo of an inactive day at your desk followed by more inactivity in front of the TV. Being healthy is about being more active not necessarily spending 60 mins beating yourself up on a treadmill. Next time you are watching TV, march in place during commericals, dance around to the open credits, do 20 jumping jacks every few mins. Get moving! It will do wonders to your outlook on life in general. http://blog.mydiscoverhealth.com/

[Tessa Gee]

10:16 AM on 06/16/2011

It's funny, after reading this headline I was going to think it was going to be about news overload and how the content of our media has the ability to make us crumble if we are exposed to too much of it. I'm very active but watch a lot of TV. It will never make me fat, but it will make me continually view what's going on in the world as a huge stressor. Along with other things media play out. Are we not supposed to trust anyone anymore?

[retawob26]

05:18 AM on 06/16/2011

However, they acknowledged that limitations to the study include the small amount of studies reviewed, and that the amount of TV time reported by all the participants in the studies was self-reported and not independently observed. Researchers also said most of the studies didn't examine diet and levels of physical activity in conjunction with the study participants' TV time, the study said.

Says it all .

[chorlosmin]

03:03 AM on 06/16/2011

I have a 2.5 year old myself, when I did have the cable hooked up he watched roughly about that much in the mornings...same type of shows. After that the tv was off. Right now the only time he does watch tv is on the weekends when it is time for him and my roomie's two kids to wind down.
http://thinnerureviews.com/

[alexponential]

01:47 AM on 06/16/2011

I watch plenty of TV. But I also drink a lot of water, green tea, and eat healthy, organic foods rather than soda and chips while I do it. I also exercise regularly. I hardly think I'm at risk for diabetes. This survey should just be called "The majority of Americans that watch a lot of TV are fat" because that is where this data is coming from; Fat Americans.

[SitandStay]

01:17 AM on 06/16/2011

I know plenty of dead people that watch TV.

[pcs5141]

01:22 AM on 06/16/2011

Obama voters.

[Carl Hungus]

11:53 PM on 06/15/2011

Heart disease sounds about right. I nearly have a heart attack every time one of my favorites gets voted off a reality show!

[BlackYowe]

11:28 PM on 06/15/2011

I sit in front of my computer too much but dumped TV over 7 years ago.

[RPDash]

09:52 PM on 06/15/2011

I thought watching Glenn Beck and listening to Limbaugh will shorten your lifespan.

[SoCalDoc]

08:15 PM on 06/15/2011

More good reasons to turn off the tube........mine has been off for over three years. Mine went off after I attempted to find some information on an uprising going on in Colombia in 2008 and all I could find on the television were news stories about Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. Who wants to know about a bunch of girls gone wild. I use my time instead reading the Huffington Post online, where the real issues are exposed.

[Kenz300]

07:14 PM on 06/15/2011

Get off the couch and move your body. Get a little exercise.

[Stilyagi]

05:45 PM on 06/15/2011

Phew! I'm glad to know that I'm not at risk. I spend every waking moment in front of the computer but I never watch tv. Not even on the computer!

[kintarius]

04:55 PM on 06/15/2011

Also, if you throw knives in the air and try to catch them, you may get a dirty car.

[fleep]

04:25 PM on 06/15/2011

If you have not read "Four Arguments for The Elimination of Television" by Jerry Mander, it's worth your time. His contention is that the medium is inherently detrimental, and studies like this only hint at the underlying problems.

I watch TV in 11-minute spurts - just enough time for an Aqua Teen episode, or a Colbert Report segment. Then I have to move around. There are times where having a short attention span is an asset.