Watching television for more than five hours a day increases the risk of developing dementia, Parkinson’s disease and stroke.
After a hard day at work, most people like to relax in front of the TV and enjoy their favorite shows. However, according to a new study, spending too much time in front of the TV can put your life at risk for several serious diseases, including dementia.
Research by Tianjian Medical University in China, involving more than 400,000 people in the UK with an average age of 55, found that watching television for five hours a day increases the risk of developing dementia, Parkinson’s disease and stroke. Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationStudy establishes link between recreational screen time and brain health in middle-aged and older adults.
How was the study conducted?
According to the researchers, who analysed data from 4,077,792 people aged 37 to 73 and performed brain scans on 40,000 of them, during the 13-year follow-up period, 5,227 developed dementia, 6,822 suffered a stroke and 2,308 were diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Analysts say that for more than 61 percent of the participants, daily screen time was between one and four hours, and the average TV viewing time was 2.7 hours. In addition, recreational computer screen time was 1.1 hours. However, those who spent at least three to five hours glued to their screens daily had a 15 percent higher risk of developing dementia.
Those who spent more than five hours a day watching television had a 44 percent higher risk of developing dementia, a 12 percent higher risk of suffering a stroke and a 28 percent higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
Why does watching television increase the risk of dementia?
According to experts, watching more than five hours of television is associated with less grey matter and smaller memory centres, leading to various types of brain diseases. Experts say that sedentary behaviour, combined with less movement and lack of exercise, causes lower expenditure of energy levels, which causes inflammation and reduces blood flow to the brain.
“Limiting daily television viewing time to three hours has been shown to be most beneficial for brain-related disorders. This has potentially important public health implications, as reducing screen time during leisure time, in particular for television viewing, has positive effects on brain health,” the researchers wrote in the journal.
Ways to reduce the risk of dementia
According to experts, it is possible to reduce the risk of dementia and other brain-related problems by adopting certain lifestyle measures, including the following:
- At least 30 minutes of physical activity a day can greatly improve your thinking, help you sleep better, and reduce anxiety and depression.
- Eating healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and dairy products helps you maintain your weight.
- If you have diabetes, make sure you properly control your blood sugar levels.
- Keep your blood pressure regulated with medications or lifestyle changes.
- If you smoke, quit the habit
- Avoid excessive alcohol consumption
- Get enough sleep
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