Researchers point to early deaths from too much TV | Zimbabwe Star

Researchers point to early deaths from too much TV

Zimbabwe Star Wednesday 13th January, 2010

A report released in Australia has shown that there is a risk of death to people who view too much television.

According to the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne, every hour that viewers spend watching television increases the risk of premature death

From a study of more than 8,000 adults in Australia, over a six-year period, findings have revealed that people who watch television the most die younger.

So called "couch-potatoes," or people who watch four or more hours of television a day, have a 46 percent higher risk of death from all causes and an 80 percent increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

In announcing the findings, the Melbourne scientists said that there is a difference between not doing enough exercise and sitting down too much, which they now believe upsets the body's regulatory processes, such as breaking down glucose.

Health campaigners in Australia have said the findings show why the country is beset by rising levels of adult and childhood obesity.

Almost 70 percent of Australian men are overweight or obese, while about half of all women weigh more than official guidelines.

A quarter of Australian children have weight problems, with teenagers especially suffering from rising levels of obesity, which can trigger diabetes and heart disease.

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