More TV Equals Less Life

Watching TV may bring short-term enjoyment but too much TV time can not only be bad for your health, it can also shorten your life. Spanish researchers have found those who watch 3 or more hours of TV daily double their risk of an early death. Data from over 13,000 adults with an average age of 37 was analyzed to determine if time watching TV was related to an increase in earlier death. The results were substantial. As compared with those individuals watching an hour or less of TV per day, those watching 2 hours per day increased their risk of early death by 40 percent and those watching three or more hours daily doubled their risk for early mortality. According to researchers, a less active sedentary lifestyle increases body fat, reduces muscle and makes the body less responsive to insulin. As a result, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain cancers become more prominent, all of which are leading causes of death. So get up, get out and get active - and don’t forget to turn off the TV!