According to a Spanish study, adults watching television three hours a day or more double their risk of premature death compared to those spending less time in front of the small screen.
With extra time, a football match can last a maximum of 120 minutes. And obviously, it’s good for the World Cup addicts in front of the small screen. Because adults watching television three hours a day or more significantly increase their risk of premature death. These worrying results for those who currently have their eyes on Brazil were published this Wednesday in the scientific journal American Heart Association.
A risk of premature death doubled
To reach this conclusion, these Spanish researchers from the University of Navarre (Pamplona) followed for more than eight years 13,284 healthy Spanish adults, on average 37 years old, 60% of them women, with university degrees . The aim of the study: to determine the link between three types of sedentary behavior and the risk of mortality from all causes. It was about the time spent in front of a television set, a computer and driving a car. And the results are final. In adults, theThe risk of premature death is twice as high with 3 or more hours per day spent watching television, compared to those spending less time in front of the small screen.
“This doubling of the risk remained after a set of other factors also linked to higher mortality were taken into account”, specify these scientists. In contrast, these researchers found no significant correlation between time spent using a computer or driving a car and an increased risk of premature death from all causes.
The sedentary lifestyle induced by the TV pointed out
“With the aging of the population, sedentary lifestyle will increase, especially because of the time spent in front of television, which will increase age-related health problems,” predicts Dr Martinez-Gonzalez. “The results of our study suggest that adults should have more physical activity, avoid long periods without moving and limit their time in front of the TV between one and two hours a day,” he recommends.
In fact, according to the American Heart Association, at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity are needed each week to stay healthy. The Association also recommends strength training activities at least twice a week.
On the French side, doctors are even more ambitious. The French Federation of Cardiology indeed recommends 30 minutes of physical activity every day, to take care of your heart. That is 210 minutes of moderate sport each week.
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