Australian researchers have analyzed life expectancy statistics from 11,000 volunteers and concluded that watching television can shorten lifespan. The data suggest that for adults over 25, every hour spent watching TV cuts an average of 22 minutes off life expectancy. Those who watch an average of six hours a day have a life expectancy that is almost 5 years shorter than people who don’t watch TV at all. No one is suggesting that watching television is harmful in itself, but rather that it signals an unhealthy sedentary lifestyle.
[British Journal of Sports Medicine, online August 15, 2011]
The People's Perspective on Medicine