UTAH TECH UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE | March 29, 2024

One Hour of Television Can Shorten Life Nearly 22 Minutes

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Researchers in Australia have found some startling news for people who enjoy spending time watching the tube. For every hour of TV you watch after the age of 25, you can shorten your life almost 22 minutes.

According to the AFP News Agency, Scientists at the University of Queensland’s School of Population Health studied 11,000 Australian adults who were aged at 25 in the year 2000. After reviewing their data in 2008, they found that Australians 25 or older had watched TV for a total of 9.8 billion hours, associating with the loss of 286,000 years of life, the AFP said.

Upon breaking down these numbers, they found that a single hour of television was responsible for the loss of just under 22 minutes of life, the same loss as smoking two cigarettes, the agency reported.

The true problem is not within the TV itself, studies show that lack of activity for long periods of time is causing the damage. Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, excess weight and other health problems are often associated with a stationary lifestyle.

The best way to combat the deterioration of inactivity is just the opposite. Latest reports from the British Journal of Sports Medicine show that exercising for just 15 minutes a day can add three years to our lives.

Mixing a healthy compilation of activity helps negate disease, strengthen the immune system, and assure your body is working at its fullest extent.