Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
A study from Harvard School of Public Health shows that
the longer women watch television, the more likely they are to
become obese and develop diabetes (Journal of the American
Medical Association, April 9, 2003). Lack of exercise is a strong
risk factor for obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, some
types of cancer, and diabetes.
The Nurses' Health Study followed more than 50,000
women for six years, and in that time 1,500 of the women
became diabetic. Those who watched the most television
doubled their risk for developing diabetes. Even light activity was
associated with substantially lower risk.
In this study, the women watched television from zero
to more than 40 hours a week, and those who watched the most
TV didn't have time to do much of anything else. People who are
addicted to television should have a stationary bicycle or some
other piece of exercise equipment in front of every set so they
can exercise whenever they watch TV.
May 1, 2006