Heart Health
Television watching in young adults linked to later heart-related risks
Research we're watching
- Reviewed by Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Watching lots of television during young adulthood was linked to increased rates of obesity and other risk factors for heart disease, according to a new report.
The study, which began in the mid-1980s and lasted 30 years, included 4,318 adults. Starting in the fifth year of the study, researchers asked participants about their viewing habits every five years.
Greater amounts of television viewing were associated with high blood pressure, diabetes, elevated triglyceride levels, and obesity in midlife.
Time spent watching television doesn't just displace healthier activities like exercise. It's also been linked to consuming more calories, possibly due to exposure to food advertisements and distracted eating, including when people aren't actually hungry. The study was published online Dec. 10, 2023, by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
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About the Author
Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
About the Reviewer
Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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