Elderly who watch TV for more than 5 hours a day straight and indulge in less than 3 hours of physical activities are three times more prone to walking difficulties, researchers warned. The findings concluded that people who watch TV for more than 5 hours a day had 65% higher risk of developing a mobility disability as compared to those who watched television for less than two hours per day. Watching TV, especially in the evening can really damaging to health because it is not broken up with short durations of physical activities, compared with sitting during the day.
"Television viewing is a very potent risk factor for disability in older age," said lead author Loretta DiPietro from the George Washington University.
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Younger people might be able to get away with sitting for long periods because they are physiologically more robust. But after age 50, prolonged sitting, and especially prolonged television viewing, becomes particularly hazardous, DiPietro said.
"We've engineered physical activity out of our modern life with commuting, elevators, the internet, mobile phones and a lifestyle that often includes 14 hours of sitting per day," DiPietro said.
"Our findings suggest that older people who want to remain fit must ramp up their daily physical activity and reduce the amount of time they spend sitting," DiPietro added.
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The study was published in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences. In the study, the team studied the data which kept the record of men and women aging between 50 to 71 from six states and two metropolitan areas. Nearly 30% of the previously healthy participants reported a mobility disability. Conclusively, to stay healthy, it is needed to active as you age. Move more and sit less, throughout the day.
(With IANS Inputs)
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