I don’t like to think of myself as a huge TV person, but I am definitely no stranger to evenings spent watching Netflix or movies rented from Redbox. In fact, I tend to do this more often than I’d like to admit.

It’s hard to resist a comfy couch and hours of zoning out to an entertaining TV show or movie after a long day. But what happens when we go too far with these habits, when we watch TV too much? Is TV bad for you, and what does it do to your body?

Prolonged TV linked to top causes of death

A study with some pretty frightening results should serve as a wake up call to the millions of people (myself included) who watch TV regularly. The study, published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, included over 220,000 men and women who were healthy and disease-free at the beginning of the study.[1]

The researchers looked at associations between TV viewing time and death over a follow-up of 14 years. They found that people who watched three to four hours of TV per day were 15% more likely to die from any cause compared to those who watched less than one hour of TV per day. Those people who watched more than seven hours per day were 47% more likely to die from any cause.

The study also found significant associations between TV viewing time and specific causes of death; in fact, eight out of the 14 major leading causes of death in the US were associated with prolonged TV time. These included cancer, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, influenza/pneumonia, Parkinson’s disease, liver disease, and suicide.

For every two-hour increase in TV time per day, the risk for dying from cancer rose by 7%, the risk for dying from heart disease rose by 23%, and the risk for dying from diabetes rose by 56%, for example.

Too much TV can negatively affect even people who are generally active

An interesting result from the study was that people who were physically active were also affected by prolonged TV viewing; exercising doesn’t make up for time spent sitting in front of the TV.

Instead, the study shows that both active and inactive individuals would benefit tremendously by limiting their TV time and replacing it with activities where they move their bodies.

Limit TV time for a healthier, longer life

It isn’t news that sedentary behaviors, like watching TV, aren’t good for you. We’ve described how sitting can be bad for cholesterol and triglyceride levels, how sitting can contribute to anxiety, and how standing more can help you to avoid numerous negative health effects.

The more we move, the better shape our brains, hearts, bones, and body in general will be. So get started today in finding ways to limit your TV time. Take a walk in the evening instead of turning on a TV show to unwind. Take some time each evening to do an easy, active chore, like dusting, vacuuming, or doing laundry. Try using a treadmill while watching TV to keep yourself active.

What tips do you have for sitting less, limiting TV time, and being more active in general? Share your ideas in the comments section below.

[1] Am J Prev Med. 2015 Jul 24. pii: S0749-3797(15)00265-2.