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Dangers of sedentary life

Couch-potato lifestyle is bad for your health

Posted in Physical activity on 12th January, 2010 | no responses

According to researchers from the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne, each hour per day spent sitting out in front of television increases the risk of early death by up to 18 per cent. Even healthy people who exercise increase the chances of premature death from heart disease by 18 per cent for each hour spent in front of television. They have a 9 percent increased risk of cancer and an 11 per cent increased risk of death from all causes, claims the Australian and French team, whose findings are reported today (12 January) in Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association.

It is not watching television per se that has health risks, but is related to long periods of sitting still. Professor Dunstan, who led the research, said ‘The human body was designed to move, not sit for extended periods of time.’

Source: The Times, 12 January 2010.

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