Too Much TV Watching May Heighten Risk Of Dying Due To Blood Clot In Lungs
- 8 years ago
Streaming services have made binge watching a popular activity, but scientists warn doing so can cause fatal health issues.
Streaming services have made binge watching a popular activity, but scientists warn doing so can cause fatal health issues.
According to a study funded by the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture of Japan, sitting in front of the television for too long increases the risk of suffering a fatal incident involving a lung blood clot.
Also known as a pulmonary embolism, the condition usually begins as a clot in the leg or pelvis, which can develop due to prolonged inactivity.
According to a press release, "If the clot breaks free, it can travel to a lung and become lodged in a small blood vessel, where it is especially dangerous."
The study involved over 85,000 participants, age 40-79, whose habits and health were tracked for nearly 20 years.
Over that time, the team found out that deaths from a pulmonary embolism increased by "70 percent among those who watched TV from 2.5 to 4.9 hours [compared to those watching less than 2.5 hours] and 2.5 times among those who watched TV 5 or more hours."
The researchers suggest people take activity breaks during prolonged watching, ideally every hour, to lower risk levels.
Streaming services have made binge watching a popular activity, but scientists warn doing so can cause fatal health issues.
According to a study funded by the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture of Japan, sitting in front of the television for too long increases the risk of suffering a fatal incident involving a lung blood clot.
Also known as a pulmonary embolism, the condition usually begins as a clot in the leg or pelvis, which can develop due to prolonged inactivity.
According to a press release, "If the clot breaks free, it can travel to a lung and become lodged in a small blood vessel, where it is especially dangerous."
The study involved over 85,000 participants, age 40-79, whose habits and health were tracked for nearly 20 years.
Over that time, the team found out that deaths from a pulmonary embolism increased by "70 percent among those who watched TV from 2.5 to 4.9 hours [compared to those watching less than 2.5 hours] and 2.5 times among those who watched TV 5 or more hours."
The researchers suggest people take activity breaks during prolonged watching, ideally every hour, to lower risk levels.