Friday, January 15th, 2010

The Lifespan Of Couch Potatoes

Every hour spent in sedentary activity may decrease your lifespan, according to a new study. Researchers in Australia studied the relationship between the amount of time spent watching television and various health outcomes. Increased sedentary activity, they found, was linked to increased risk of death due to cancer and cardiovascular disease. Strikingly, the findings appear to apply even to adults who have a healthy weight -- not just the obese. The study was published in the journal Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. We'll talk to one of the authors.

Guests

David Dunstan
Associate Professor
Head, Physical Activity Laboratory
Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute
Victoria, Australia

Related Links

Segment produced by:Flora Lichtman

Friday, January 15th, 2010

• Adjusting the Doomsday Clock
• Looking Back on the Laser
• The Lifespan Of Couch Potatoes
• A Solar Deal for China
• Science and Race

Elsewhere on Sciencefriday.com

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• Television
• Fitness and Exercise