Wednesday June 15th, 2011

People should become "selective" about television watching as new evidence links it to heart disease, experts said today.

A new analysis seeks to set out the extra risk incurred from every two hours spent idling in front of the TV daily.

According to Dr Anders Grøntved, of the University of Southern Denmark, Odense, and Dr Frank Hu, of Harvard Medical School, USA, for every 100,000 people who spend two hours telly-watching, some 38 more will die than among those who avoid the "box".

The findings, from an analysis of decades of studies, were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Maureen Talbot, of the British Heart Foundation, said "slumping" in front of the television should not become a regular activity.

She said: “This study adds yet more strength to existing evidence that sedentary activities, such as watching TV, could increase our risk of getting type 2 diabetes and heart and circulatory disease.

“I’m sure we’ve all unintentionally lost evenings slumped on the sofa in front of the TV snacking on crisps and biscuits and drinking sugary drinks or alcohol. But it’s important that this doesn’t become a regular activity.

“We should try to be selective in how much time we spend watching the TV, and try to be more physically active instead."

She said activities such as walking and gardening would prove more rewarding than "staring at the box."

Extensive television watching linked with increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and all-cause death. Anders Grøntved et al. Journal of the American Medical Association June 15 2011; Vol 305, No. 23