Is Watching Too Much TV Bad for Us?

by Kelvin Wong

Most people have held a strong affection for television. A recent Nielson Media Research report shows that the average American spends 4 hours and 35 minutes watching TV per day. So, is watching too much TV really bad for us? Let's dig deeper into what some researchers found.

A new study by the Harvard School of Public Health found that prolonged TV viewing will increased the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The research showed an increased diabetes risk of 20% and the risk of heart disease and fatality rose to 15% for every 2 hours of TV viewing. Frank Hu, lead researcher at Harvard, believes that people who watch a lot of TV have a higher tendency to eat junk food and prone to sedentary lifestyles. “People who sit in front of the television are not only exercising less, they are likely eating unhealthy foods. It’s true that people who watch a lot of TV differ from those who watch less, especially in terms of diet and physical activity levels.” Hu said.

Social scientists have also frequently pointed to studies that show that the content of what we view on TV, not just the act of TV viewing, have undesired results. Specifically, television has been implicated in helping foster a superficial emphasis on money and status. Studies conducted by the Association for Consumer Research found that the more people watch TV, the more materialistic they are. Coupled with the continual bombardment of TV advertisements that glorify luxurious brands and lifestyles, it is no wonder that many are rushing out to spend more than what they can afford.

Thus, it is clear that spending too much time watching TV is not only bad for our health, but also our pockets!

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