Is Your TV Killing You Prematurely?

We all know and have heard that being a “couch potato” is not conducive to leading an optimally healthy life. But there could be research that actually supports that now and tips into the notion that it could affect our mortality as well. Spending too much time in front of the television may contribute to a shorter, a new study suggests.

Researchers in Australia found that people who averaged six hours a day watching television (six hours! – who does that?) lived, on average, nearly five years less than people who watched no TV. For every hour of TV watched after the age of 25, lifespan fell by 22 minutes according to the research led by Dr. J. Lennert of the University of Queensland. Time to throw that remote in the trash and lock the tv in the closet?

Before you go to such drastic extremes, take a look at what the data tells you versus looking at it just cut and dry. The results did not prove that tv watching itself was the direct link to a shortened lifespan! It was that people who SPENT more time watching tv had the shorter lifespans based on the study data. This makes more sense after you think about all the ramifications of extended tv viewing.

For one, most people tend to be sedentary during this time (unless you’re on exercise equipment at the same time, which will likely negate some of the negative effects). If we’re not up and active, we’re not burning much calories and our metabolism slows down. Prolonged inactivity has been proven to be a risk factor for many cardiovascular, metabolic and structural health problems.

Second, how easy is it to sit down with a bag/box/bowl of “munchies” during your favorite shows only to realize later that you’ve eaten way too much while on auto pilot. Not only does this lead to excess calorie consumption (combined with the decreased expenditure just mentioned), but many snack choices tend to be of the less healthy variety. Poor quality foods, and too much of them, lead to obesity, heart issues, poor energy and diabetes.

Lastly, from a structural standpoint, our bodies weren’t meant to be in a sitting position for extended periods (or some of the other awkward positions I’ve seen people recline or sit in!) How many times have you felt more stiffness or soreness after getting up from a long sitting period? Or had that kink in the neck after lying on the couch too long (or worse, after falling asleep there watching tv)? Decreased blood flow and oxygenation to our tissues is one problem from this scenario, with shortened, tight muscles that contribute to stiffness as another. And if you want your muscles to be weak and unsupportive when you’re going through your day-to-day activities, running the risk of muscle strains and sprains and all the pain they entail, then by all means shoot for that six hours of vegetation.

As you can see, there is more to the picture than what was first implied, but you can garner a positive from the results. In moderation, tv viewing in and of itself is likely not that detrimental. Sitting or lying with proper posture will definitely help alleviate some physical stress to the body, as will getting up to stretch or move around every 15 – 30 minutes. Making healthier food choices while viewing can also decrease some of the metabolic risk factors (as well as drinking plenty of water so you have to get up for trips to the restroom!). Other than that, make sure you’re taking time to get up, get out and enjoy life firsthand! You could be missing out on life experiences that are even better than what you’re watching other people experience on tv.

In Health, 

Dr. Niewierowski