More than one in 10 cases of heart disease could be avoided if people spent less time watching TV, according to a new study.
There is a lot to be said for coming home after a long day and collapsing in front of the box.
For many, doing so helps them unwind while being entertained by their favourite shows.
But new research suggests that the pastime could greatly increase the chance of heart disease.
Experts at the University of Cambridge found that sitting around after a large evening meal – and snacking in front of the TV – all increase the risk of ill health.
In the study, published in the journal BMC Medicine, researchers calculated that 11% of cases of coronary heart disease could be prevented if people watched less than an hour of TV each day.
Interestingly, they found that people who sat in front of the computer posed no obvious risk.
Dr Youngwon Kim, Medical Research at Council’s epidemiology unit at Cambridge, said: “In addition to reducing the actual amount of time you sit watching TV, there are other measures that you might take, such as breaking up your TV viewing and doing some light exercise in between.
“You could also try to avoid snacking, particularly on high calorie foods such as crisps and chocolates.
“All of these measures could help better manage your risk of developing coronary heart disease.”
What are the symptoms of heart disease?
According to the NHS, symptoms of coronary heart disease include:
- chest pain (angina)
- shortness of breath
- pain throughout the body
- feeling faint
- feeling sick (nausea)
However not everyone has the same symptoms and some people may not have any before coronary heart disease is diagnosed.
Coronary heart disease increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Two lifestyle changes which can lower heart disease risk
Researchers examined data from the UK Biobank study on 373,026 people and also looked at genetic susceptibility to heart disease.
The team studied the differences between people watching TV and using a computer for leisure by assessing their answers to questionnaires.
The findings over a 13-year follow-up showed that, compared with more than four hours of TV a day, there was a 16% lower chance of coronary heart disease if people watched less than an hour a day, regardless of genetic risk.
For those who watched two to three hours of TV a day, there was a 6% lower risk of developing the condition compared to watching more than four hours.
The study found that spending leisure time in front of a computer did not appear to influence the risk of disease.
Possible reasons for this outcome may be that TV viewing tends to occur in the evening following dinner, often the highest calorie meal of the day, leading to higher levels of fats and cholesterol in the blood.
People may also snack more in front of the TV than when using a computer, while TV viewing tends to be prolonged.
On the other hand, people using a computer may be more likely to break up their activity, they said.
How to lower your risk of heart disease
Researchers suggest that more than one in 10 cases of coronary heart disease could be prevented if people watched less than an hour of TV a day.
But, if that is not possible, they advise getting up and moving around to break up TV-watching habits – and ditching the crisps and chocolates.
According to the British Heart Foundation, coronary heart disease is one of the UK’s leading causes of death, responsible for around 64,000 deaths each year.
Its senior cardiac nurse, Chloe MacArthur, said: “Most of us watch TV sitting down, and we know from decades of research that leading a sedentary lifestyle can lead to health problems later in life, including an increased risk of coronary heart disease.
“While it can be difficult to weave physical activity into our daily routines, it only takes 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise each week to help reduce your risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases.
“When the temptation hits you to watch one more episode, try standing up and stretching, or go for an evening stroll instead. Stopping evening snacks and ensuring you eat a healthy balanced diet can also give your heart health a boost.”
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