Heavy TV Watching May Affect Healthy Aging

The study, published in JAMA Network Open, analyzed data from over 45,000 women who were part of the Nurses Health Study. These participants, at least 50 years old and free from major chronic diseases in 1992, answered comprehensive surveys about their daily activities.

The findings suggest a 12% decline in the chances of healthy aging for every additional two hours spent watching TV daily. This trend contrasts with other forms of sitting, such as sitting at work, in cars, or at home engaging in activities like reading or eating, which did not show a similar impact. The research highlighted that over 62% of U.S. adults aged 20-64 and 84% of seniors watch at least two hours of TV daily.

Only 8.6% of the women met the criteria for “healthy aging,” encompassing the absence of major health conditions, good mental health, no memory impairments, and no physical disabilities after 20 years. Women who limited TV time to under three hours a day, engaged in regular physical activities, and maintained a normal weight had higher odds of healthy aging.

The study underscores the potential adverse effects of prolonged TV watching and suggests replacing TV time with physical activities to enhance healthy aging outcomes.