Like…watching lots of tv is like, really bad for you, mmmkay?

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Researchers are now claiming that watching too much TV is as bad for your health as smoking and being overweight. Perhaps government should regulate our viewing habits as well?

Anyone who spends six hours a day in front of the box is at risk of dying five years sooner than those who enjoy more active pastimes, it is claimed.

Researchers say that watching too much TV is as dangerous as smoking or being overweight, and that the “ubiquitous sedentary behaviour” should be seen as a “public health problem”.

Experts from the University of Queensland, Australia, write: “TV viewing time may have adverse health consequences that rival those of lack of physical activity, obesity and smoking; every single hour of TV viewed may shorten life by as much as 22 minutes.”

Good to know….but isn’t this basically stating the obvious? That a sedentary lifestyle (whether from too much Oprah, Xbox, or Daily Kos reading on the computer) is detrimental to your health?

Referring to Australian and American guidelines that suggest children should spend no more than two hours a day in front of a screen, the academics conclude: “With further corroborative evidence, a public health case could be made that adults also need to limit the time spent watching TV.”

Although health campaigners – and parents – have long warned of the dangers of watching too much television, its effects on life expectancy have never before been calculated.

In a paper published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, Dr J Lennert Veerman and colleagues looked at the results of a survey of 11,247 Australians taken in 1999-2000, which asked about time spent watching TV, and also mortality figures for the country.

They constructed a model in which they compared life expectancy for adults who watch TV to those who did not, and worked out that every hour spent glued to the screen shortened life by 21.8 minutes.

What are the effects of 6 hrs of sedentary living so long as one is still getting in adequate amounts of exercise to counteract the couch potato syndrome? I’m sure there are those of us who lead active lifestyles and get proper exercise who also find ourselves in front of the TV set and especially the computer screen (what’s the difference?) for more than a couple of hours each day. And what of those who lead 9-5 jobs sitting all day in a cubicle, in front of a computer?

The researchers say that watching TV is among the most common forms of sedentary behaviour, along with sitting in cars.

England’s Chief Medical Officer, Sally Davies, said: “Physical activity offers huge benefits and these studies back what we already know – that doing a little bit of physical activity each day brings health benefits and a sedentary lifestyle carries additional risks.

Well…isn’t this simply duh science? Nothing really new under the sun here, is there but confirming the obvious? Physical activity = good. Physical inactivity = bad. And all good things taken in moderation:

Maureen Talbot, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: “Sedentary behaviour such as vegging in front of the TV is practically a cultural institution these days and it’s good to relax for a while, but this study supports the view that too much of it can be bad for our health.

I don’t see how it’s the tv-viewing itself that’s at fault: It’s the vegging around, leading inactive lifestyle that creates obesity that results in health issues that takes away from quality of life and a reduction in life expectancy.

Next, scientists should examine how viewing even 5 minutes of FOX News or reading a Flopping Aces post causes high blood pressure and heart conditions amongst liberal idealogues and Obama faithfuls.

British Journal of Sports Medicine article here.

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I bought a Roku box and signed up for Amazon Prime. Now I can get every single episode of Star Trek ever made via streaming video – all for free. I’m never going outside again.

A great big portion of my TV time is while doing cardio.
Does that add minutes, to take them away?
LOL!
I don’t care.
If I hadn’t had the TV on while I was preparing dinner I might have missed all this breaking news about Libya.

Another pseudo study from the people who brought you global cooling global Warmingclimate change, radon gas studies, second hand smoke and DDT ban. Was Michael Mann involvedin this study, too!

Wordsmith, I know of one to surely have high blood pressure watching FLOPPING ACES, POSTS
and COMMENTS,
his blood will boil when he read TV, instead of TELEVISION,
he is a lib stuck on GRAMMAR, and will come and hit you with it,
bye

I watch more TV than I would like, but since I am unemployed, after checking want-ads, and computer want-ads, and calling several people who might want a woodworker with 40 years experience, every day-than TV is about all I have left-
That is a sad commentary, especially since I lived through the “Malaise” of the Jiminy Carter years, and it took me six years to get back much of what I had lost then- I am not sure I have six good years left.

Blake, hi,
wow 40 years of knowledge acquired in woodwork, is so precious,
you would have some young people and woman at home left to do the repairs on themselves,
and older retired and VETERANS people that would like to do something with their hands beautiful by
learning how to from a MASTER WOODWORKER,
AS A FAVORITE TEACHER IN YOUR OWN HOME TAKING EACH ONE AT A TIME OR IN A GROUP,
WHICH WOULD FIND YOUR WELL ADVERTIZE ENCART IN THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER,
IT WOULD BE WORTH A TRYAL the course has no limits, from basic to ROUTER WHICH IS VERY NICE TO LEARN TO DESIGN A PEACE OF REAL WOOD INTO A ROOM DIVIDER OR A USEFULL CUPBOARD lace with cut out leaves on top
EXCETERA UNDER YOUR TEACHING VIGILANCE,
wouldn’t it,
bye

Blake: If you live anywhere near Asheville, NC, I could sure use a good woodworker to help me finish my house. Interior trim work and exterior soffits.

John Cooper, hi,
I bet one could travel and find a stay inn for the time needed to work on the contract,
that would make it easy for both you and Blake,.
bye
oh did you receive the hummingbird family ?
they should be there anytime, except the male who is still here but not for long.

Mizz Beez: Yes, I think we have some of your hummingbirds now. They’re feeding up and getting ready for the trip South.

John Cooper,
I thought you where SOUTH, that mean they won’t stay at you’r place for the winter, THAT IS A LONG FLIGHT FOR SUCH SMALL BIRDS,
THAT IS INCREDIBLE,
bye