While sitting on the couch and watching TV can represent ultimate relaxation after a long day, new research warns that prolonged sitting may increase the risk of coronary heart disease. Coronary heart disease is a condition in which the blood supply to the heart is obstructed due to the buildup of fatty substances in the coronary arteries. Regardless of your genetic makeup, excessive TV watching can elevate your risk of this condition, as emphasized by a study published in BMC Medicine.
The study, conducted by the University of Cambridge and the University of Hong Kong, suggested that too much TV time could harm your heart. Researchers also found that if people watched less than one hour of TV daily, it could prevent 11% of coronary heart disease cases. As a leading cause of death, coronary heart disease can make individuals more susceptible to strokes.
Lifestyle choices are significant drivers of heart disease, with sedentary behavior identified as one of the contributing factors. The study clarified that prolonged sitting rather than engaging in physical activity could heighten the risk of this disease. To examine the link between time spent in sedentary behaviors like TV or computer use, researchers considered individual DNA and heart disease risk.
They analyzed data from the UK Biobank, a study that involved over 500,000 individuals followed for nearly 12 years. The study revealed that people who watched TV for more than four hours daily were more likely to develop the disease. In contrast, those who watched TV for two to three hours a day had a 6% lower rate of developing this condition; however, individuals who watched less than one hour daily had a 16% lower rate.
The study noted that "these associations were independent of genetic susceptibility and other known risk factors." Dr. Yongjun Kim, an assistant professor at the University of Hong Kong, stated, "Our study provides unique insights into the potential role that reducing TV watching may play in preventing coronary heart disease."
