At first glance I felt good about this story. I MAY sit at a desk all day, writing yarns for you folks, but at least it’s not a TV. About two seconds later I realised that after the brief but also way too bloody long interlude of a one and a half hour bus ride home, I pretty much sit down to eat and fall asleep in front of a TV. Well a laptop but it’s playing TV.
So basically I am now aware that not only is my average week ridiculously boring, it’s probably killing me. Cool.
The reason for my woe is a recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association which followed the tele watching and ‘occupational sitting’ – aka for work – of 3592 people in Jackson, Mississippi.
Over an average period of about eight and a half years, there were 129 cardiovascular disease ‘events’ and 205 deaths – I know it’s grim, I’m sorry. Participants who watched more than four hours of TV a day were found to be at the highest risk cardiovascular disease and death.
Meanwhile, people who regularly sat at a desk for work weren’t found to have any higher risk than those who didn’t.
If you’re sitting there freaking out about the Stranger Things 3 binge you’re planning, there IS a Get Out Of Jail Free card. ‘Moderate to vigorous’ exercise essentially eliminates the higher health risks of sitting in front of the TV for too long.
The take-away? Watch less television and/or exercise more to keep your little heart healthy.
