Watching too much TV can lead to type 2 diabetes and shorten life expectancy
Just about everyone enjoys watching some TV every now and then, but new research suggests that overindulging can lead to the development of type 2 diabetes and shave years off a person's life.
Watching TV is generally a sedentary behavior. During this time, people do not burn many calories. When you throw in the fact that viewers often turn to their favorite snacks while watching TV, the combination can have a destructive impact on a person's metabolic health.
A recent study out of the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia showed that spending long hours in front of the TV can have a major impact on a person's life expectancy, shortening it by a similar amount as smoking.
For the study, the team examined previously published data on television viewing and life expectancy. The results showed that for every hour a person spent in front of the TV, they lost nearly 22 minutes from their life. Over the course of an average lifetime, those who watched six hours per day could expect to see their life shortened by five years.
The trouble is not simply the six hours per day the person spends in front of the television. Many people now work jobs that require them to spend most of their day at a computer. When leisure activities and professional duties force a person to be inactive, they will burn fewer calories and gain more fat, a condition which often leads to type 2 diabetes.
This is why it is important for individuals to try to incorporate more active hobbies into their free time. Even simple activities like gardening or playing a guitar burn more calories than simply sitting in front of the TV. Engaging in a more active lifestyle can help people avoid developing type 2 diabetes.
Watching TV is generally a sedentary behavior. During this time, people do not burn many calories. When you throw in the fact that viewers often turn to their favorite snacks while watching TV, the combination can have a destructive impact on a person's metabolic health.
A recent study out of the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia showed that spending long hours in front of the TV can have a major impact on a person's life expectancy, shortening it by a similar amount as smoking.
For the study, the team examined previously published data on television viewing and life expectancy. The results showed that for every hour a person spent in front of the TV, they lost nearly 22 minutes from their life. Over the course of an average lifetime, those who watched six hours per day could expect to see their life shortened by five years.
The trouble is not simply the six hours per day the person spends in front of the television. Many people now work jobs that require them to spend most of their day at a computer. When leisure activities and professional duties force a person to be inactive, they will burn fewer calories and gain more fat, a condition which often leads to type 2 diabetes.
This is why it is important for individuals to try to incorporate more active hobbies into their free time. Even simple activities like gardening or playing a guitar burn more calories than simply sitting in front of the TV. Engaging in a more active lifestyle can help people avoid developing type 2 diabetes.
First published on: August 16, 2011
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