01 July 2019
Whiling away the hours in front of the television at home may be a riskier practice than hours spent in front of a desk at work, a new study has found.
The research, which was published in Journal of the American Heart Association, found that those who watched more than four hours of television each day had a 50% greater risk of cardiovascular events and death compared to those who watched less than two hours per day.
However, the study found that this effect could be counteracted by moderate-to-vigorous exercise.
Those who exercised for 150 minutes each week and also watched four or more hours television each day did not have an increased risk of early death or cardiovascular events.
The research found that those who sat the most at work had no higher risk of premature death or cardiovascular events than those who sat the least in their jobs.
Keith Diaz, from the Colombia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, highlighted that the study illustrates that workers in sedentary jobs can ameliorate the health risks by engaging in exercise after work.
“Our findings show that how you spend your time outside of work may matter more when it comes to heart health,” he emphasised.
The study involved following 3592 participants for 8.5 years who reported how much time they spent sitting during their leisure time and at work.
Study participants also reported how much time they spent exercising during their leisure hours.
Image credit: Pixabay
The research, which was published in Journal of the American Heart Association, found that those who watched more than four hours of television each day had a 50% greater risk of cardiovascular events and death compared to those who watched less than two hours per day.
However, the study found that this effect could be counteracted by moderate-to-vigorous exercise.
Those who exercised for 150 minutes each week and also watched four or more hours television each day did not have an increased risk of early death or cardiovascular events.
The research found that those who sat the most at work had no higher risk of premature death or cardiovascular events than those who sat the least in their jobs.
Keith Diaz, from the Colombia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, highlighted that the study illustrates that workers in sedentary jobs can ameliorate the health risks by engaging in exercise after work.
“Our findings show that how you spend your time outside of work may matter more when it comes to heart health,” he emphasised.
The study involved following 3592 participants for 8.5 years who reported how much time they spent sitting during their leisure time and at work.
Study participants also reported how much time they spent exercising during their leisure hours.
Image credit: Pixabay
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