TV Trouble

Watching TV can be hazardous to your health. In a study of more than 50,000 women, every two hours per day of TV watching increased the risk of obesity by 23% and the risk of diabetes by 14%. Sitting while at work was linked to much smaller increases in risk.

In contrast, every hour per day of brisk waling was linked to a 24% drop in the risk of obesity and a 34% drop in the risk of diabetes. As estimated 30% of new cases of obesity and 43% of new cases of diabetes could be prevented if women were to spend less than 10 hours a week watching TV and at least 30 minutes a day walking briskly, say the authors.

From Nutrition Action Healthletter June 2003
Center of Science In The Public Interest. www.cspinet.org 

J.Amer.Med.Assoc.289:1785,2003