Are Binge television hazardous to your health? – La Prensa de Honduras

United States

Let those who binge television give pay attention: spending too much time in front of the TV could increase the risk of died of a blood clot in a lung, researchers warn.

A blood clot in a lung (pulmonary embolism) usually begins as a clot in the leg or pelvis that develops due to inactivity and a reduction in blood flow. The clot can break off and travel to the lung, being located in a small blood vessel and pose a serious danger.

This new study included more than 86,000 people aged 40 to 70 years in Japan. They were asked how many hours spent watching television, and then he followed them for 19 years. During this period, 59 participants died of a pulmonary embolism.

Compared to those who watched less than 2.5 hours of television a day, the risk of dying from a pulmonary embolism increased by 70 percent among those that came between 2.5 and 4.9 hours a day. It was 40% higher for each additional two hours of television, and 2.5 times higher among those who watched five or more hours a day, the study found.

The results of the study appear in the July 25 issue of the journal Circulation.

These findings could be of concern to Americans, who reportedly watch more TV than Japanese adults, said the study’s first author, Dr. Toru Shirakawa, public health researcher at the School of Graduate Studies in Medicine of the University of Osaka.

“Today, with the transmission of video over the Internet, the term ‘binge TV’ which describes see multiple episodes of TV shows followed has become popular,” said Shirakawa said in a news press magazine. “That popularity could reflect a habit that increases quickly.”

In Japan there is a lower rate of pulmonary embolism than in Western countries, but may be increasing, according to the author for correspondence, Hiroyasu Iso Dr., professor of public health at the University of Osaka.

“The Japanese are increasingly adopting a sedentary lifestyles , we believe that puts them at increased risk,” he lamented Iso.

Although the study can not prove a direct causal relationship, it is likely that the risk of dying from watching too much television is even higher than that found in the study, because the condition is difficult to diagnose, the researchers said.

The most common symptoms of pulmonary embolism are chest pain and shortness of breath, which also occur with other potentially lethal conditions. A diagnosis of pulmonary embolism also requires imaging scanners that are not available in many hospitals.

If you spend much time in front of the TV, there are ways to reduce the risk of pulmonary embolism.

Tips

“After more or less one hour stand up, stretch, walk around, or while watching TV, tense and relax the muscles for 5 minutes, “advised Iso.

Drinking water may also help, he added.

The study was conducted before computers, tablets and smartphones to become popular sources of entertainment, so further studies are needed to assess how these technologies affect the risk of pulmonary embolism, they raised Iso and colleagues.