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Spending time watching TV increases the risk of inflammatory diseases
If people spend a lot of time sitting in front of the TV, this increases the likelihood of inflammatory diseases and thus the risk of dying prematurely from the consequences of these diseases.
Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute researchers have found in their current research that marathon marriages, or generally for a long time in front of the television, contribute to an increased risk of those affected dying from inflammatory diseases. The doctors published a press release on the results of their study.
If people spend a lot of time sitting in front of the TV, they increase the risk of suffering from inflammatory diseases and consequently die prematurely. (Image: Focus Pocus LTD / fotolia.com) Just two hours a day in front of the TV increase the risk
If you spend a long time sitting in front of your TV, you endanger your health. This does not only apply to people who watch more than four hours at a time of their favorite series. For an increased risk even less time is enough in front of the TV. The experts found in their study that even a moderate daily time in front of the television of two to four hours leads to a higher risk of a death associated with inflammatory diseases.
Researchers analyze data from nearly 9,000 subjects
For their study, the physicians analyzed the lifestyles, hours spent watching TV, inflammatory markers and the causes of mortality for nearly 9,000 adults. These participants were medically supervised for a period of 13 years after participating in the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study. When the scientists ruled out deaths related to cancer and cardiovascular problems, they found that every additional hour spent watching TV increased the risk of premature death as a result of inflammation. Non-smokers had a slightly lower risk, add the physicians.
Sitting reduces muscle activity and blood flow
There has been no evidence of the harmful mechanisms caused by sitting in front of the TV. But a growing body of evidence indicated that the effect was associated with inflammation, explains author Dr. Megan Grace from the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute. "We know that sitting involves decreased muscle activity and therefore reduces blood flow," say the experts. They suggest that this stagnation in the blood vessels can lead to an accumulation of inflammatory markers in the blood and in the muscles. Grace.
If inflammation is not treated, tissue damage may occur
Inflammation is a normal reaction of the body when it experiences an injury or infection. If such inflammation is not treated and eradicated, this small but long-term disease can actually cause tissue damage, which in turn can lead to various diseases such as diabetes, lung disease, and cognitive disorders (Alzheimer's and Parkinson's), the researchers report.
With on-demand TV, many more people are likely to be at risk
Hopefully, the results will help to develop new guidelines and advice on how to reduce sitting time, explains the author. Grace continues. The data used was already collected in 2000, even before the so-called on-demand TV technologies existed. Such programs are likely to affect the perceived risk much worse, the expert adds.
Even active people should not sit too much
There's more and more evidence that even people adhering to the activity guidelines endanger their health if they sit for the rest of the day. These people have an increased chance to develop such inflammatory diseases, say the doctors. When people sit too much every day, they are detrimental to their health. Something is fine, but people should move as much as possible, scientists suggest. (As)