staying healthy
It's no surprise, but science backs it up: Watching TV can make you fat
You probably know that watching a lot of TV puts you at increased risk of getting fat. But if you’re like many Americans, there’s nothing better than a bowl of popcorn and a cold beer while watching your favorite television programs. I personally like a piece of German chocolate cake with a glass of milk! And when friends are over to watch the game, how many of you order a pizza or make a delicious five-layer dip?
After all, TV and snacking go together — it’s the American way!
Well, this might have been ok in the days when we didn’t watch as much TV. Now, we spend so much time eating in front of the TV that we’re jeopardizing our health with all the mindless eating.
Studies have shown that adults who watch more than two hours of TV a day tend to weigh more than people who watch less. And, as all of us know, the fatter you are, the more likely you will develop Type 2 diabetes, heart disease or suffer from premature death.
Americans are watching more TV than ever before, logging in an average of five hours a day.
Americans are watching more TV than ever before, logging in an average of five hours a day. It’s no secret that spending hours in front of the television isn’t the healthiest of habits, and it’s not just the couch potato stuff — after all, we don’t burn many calories surfing channels.
We’re also more likely to eat high-fat, high-calorie foods while watching the small screen (or the big screen, for that matter). Research has proven that eating in front of the TV does, in fact, lead to an increase in bad caloric consumption and a decrease in the consumption of healthy foods such as vegetables.
Adults who watch more than two hours of TV a day can increase their daily caloric intake by 137 calories compared with those adults who only watch less than an hour of television per day. Although this doesn’t sound like much, it can equal out to be about an extra 14.3 pounds per year of weight!
There is also a strong association between the number of hours of television watched and the degree of obesity in children. One explanation is that almost anything you do other than watch TV uses more energy. Another explanation is TV advertising to children, given that more than 95% of commercials are for food products high in fat, sugar and salt. Children are bombarded with TV ads telling them that bad food is good and they are seduced into wanting them.
There is also a strong association between the number of hours of television watched and the degree of obesity in children.
Children eat 45% less snack food when they watch cartoons without junk food advertisements, according to studies, compared to children who had watch the same cartoons, but without those ads — so turn off the tube!
TV viewing is contributing to the rise in obesity in the United States and other developed countries and it’s well established that being overweight or obese can lead to many health problems, including Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Eight large studies looked at the relationship between TV time and the risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease or a premature death, comparing 200,000 people for seven to 10 years.
For every two hours of TV a person watched daily, their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes went up by 20%, their risk of heart disease climbed by 15%, and their risk of dying prematurely (from any cause) rose by 13%. The researchers estimated that for every 100,000 people, this would mean 176 new cases of diabetes each year, 38 new cases of fatal heart disease, and 104 premature deaths.
We all know that we must begin living healthier-stop smoking, drink alcohol moderately, eat healthier foods and start exercising. Now add watching less TV to the list. If this is too difficult, at least put a lock on the refrigerator.