Too much TV linked with heart attack and death risk

Too much TV linked with heart attack and death risk

Too much time spent watching television or sitting in front of the computer increases your risk of heart disease and even shorten your life, as found in a new study. In fact, if you spend 4 hours a day or more of your free time watching television, using computers or playing video games, you are 2 times more likely to suffer a heart attack, stroke, heart failure or died, according to research.

"Our research shows that time staring at the screen and maybe sit in general can be very

detrimental to overall health and heart health. "Said lead researcher Emmanuel Stamata is, a senior researcher in the department of epidemiology and public health at University College London. "Given that most people working age have jobs that do not move and spent long hours in front of the computer or driving, which involves more sitting, spare time should involve sitting a little as possible and move as much as possible," he said. This report is published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

For this study, the team Stamatakis collects data from 4512 adults who responded to the Scottish Health Survey in 2003, which among other things, asked about their leisure activities. During the follow for 4.3 years, 325 of those people died and 215 suffered heart problems, reported the researchers. Stamatakis group found that compared with those who spent less than 2 hours a day in front of the television, those who spend 4 hours or more watching television or playing or working at the computer has a 48% increased risk of dying from any cause and 125% increased risk result of a heart attack, stroke or heart failure. In addition, the calculation of risk remained even after considering factors such as smoking, high blood pressure, weight, social class and sports, so note the investigators. "Importantly, participation in the exercise did not reduce the hazards associated with excessive television viewing." Stamatakis said.

In addition, the biology seems to play a role. For example, one fourth of the relationship between time watch with a heart attack associated with higher levels of C-reactive protein, which is a marker of inflammation along with weight and cholesterol, suggesting that inflammation and high cholesterol, combined with seat, can increase the risk heart problems, researchers said. One way to stay healthy is to limit the amount of time spent sitting, Stamatakis said. Starting with the reduced television viewing, in which many people do it 3-4 hours a day, he added. "It's excessive." he said. "And besides, watching television is a way to waste time most passive and not creative, in most cases. Watching television also replace the physical activity that are useful and, according to our findings, also associated with a unique and different risks to health."

Commenting on this research, Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, an expert on the prevention of heart disease at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and a spokesman for the American Heart Association, said that "what I like about this research is to help us understand the important role that lifestyle that did not move much at risk of heart disease. We are all very fixated during the work day on the computer, and sat down to be like the remains of our lives, and if we choose to sit in our spare time, this is really dangerous for us, "he said. Steinbaum advised to do some physical activity every day - do not sit when you do not have to sit down. "Activities in free time should be something that helps you to move, no matter whatever it is," he said.