There’s nothing better than lying flat on the couch and turning on a mindless reality show after a long day at work. Not to burst your guilty pleasure bubble, but new research links less TV time to healthier aging.
The study, published this week in the journal YAMA network looked at two decades of data from the Nurses’ Health Study—more than 45,000 women age 50 and older in 1992. Researchers who analyzed the results in 2022 concluded that an additional two hours of sitting and watching TV per day was associated with a 12% lower chance of healthy aging. Healthy aging was defined as those who lived to at least age 70 without suffering from one or more of the 11 major chronic diseases, and who had no cognitive or physical impairment (41% of participants had no chronic diseases after 20 years). summer age). year mark).
In contrast, adding two hours of light physical activity at work per day was associated with a 6% increase in the odds of healthy aging. Replacing an hour of watching TV with light physical activity at work or at home also increased the chances of healthy aging. Additionally, for those who typically sleep less than the recommended minimum of seven hours per night, replacing TV time with rest increases the chances of healthy aging.
Researchers estimate that 61% of unhealthy older adults could become so if they adhered to a combination of lifestyle factors, including watching less than three hours of television a day, maintaining a healthy weight and doing at least three hours of light physical activity. while working.
“Given the strong association observed between sedentary behavior and healthy aging, public health campaigns to promote health should not only promote increased physical activity, but also reduce sedentary behavior, especially prolonged television viewing,” the researchers conclude.
Here’s how to keep a close eye on your TV viewing time
Now you don’t have to throw your TV out of the window and throw it into the cold. The results support previous research that found sitting is the new smoking. Research published in the journal British Journal of Sports Medicine Last year, it was found that sitting for 12 or more hours a day increased people’s risk of mortality by 38% compared to those who sat for eight hours a day. The Nurses’ Health Study also highlights that sitting for long periods of time can reduce insulin sensitivity, which can put people at risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes. It can also increase inflammation and reduce blood flow.
So it may have more to do with sitting and less with your desire to watch Bravo (ugh). So, consider setting time limits on how long you sit and watch TV, or taking a five-minute snack break every 30 minutes of sitting. Short runs can help combat a sedentary lifestyle and significantly reduce blood sugar spikes. Consider turning on the TV while you cook, or being mindful of not overeating without moving, no matter how in the zone you are, especially since many of us also sit during the workday.
The researchers also note that sitting and watching TV may contribute to other habits that lead to unhealthy aging, such as mindless eating and sleeping too much at night. If you can control them, set limits on the TV, or even move around with the TV on, you’re doing yourself a big favor. Two hours of TV time makes a difference, so reducing the time can help.
“Thanks to technological advances, the amount of time adults in industrialized countries like the United States spend sitting has increased. has been growing steadily for decades— Keith Diaz, assistant professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University, wrote earlier in his article. Luck. “With the shift to more remote work, people are less inclined to leave home these days. It is therefore clear that strategies are needed to combat the growing public health problem in the 21st century.”
In their study, the researchers took into account socioeconomic factors, family health history, sleep, diet and menopausal factors. However, the study analyzed exclusively female nurses in the US and the data was self-reported, so there is no universal or causal link between TV viewing and unhealthy aging.
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