American, Canadian and Japanese studies have all linked sedentary behavior to an increased risk of mortality but a new Australian study went one step further by specifically examining the relationship between TV viewing time with all- cause mortality.

Published on-line in the journal Circulation (Nov. 24, 2009) the study excluded time spent sitting at work or during travel.  Their findings showed that for each 1 hour increment in tv viewing, there was an 11% increased risk of all-cause mortality and an 18% increased risk of cardiovascular disease mortality.

The study involved 20,347 Australian adults 25 years or older and excluded anyone with a previous history of coronary heart disease, stroke, or pregnancy.

So why the increase in risk? The most likely answer is the increased caloric intake and reduced energy expenditure but the researchers noted that “the association between television viewing time and mortality was independent of diet quality and energy intake.” Instead they propose that tv viewing time displaces light-intensity physical activity.

The bottom line is that a sedentary life-style increases the risk for diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure, setting us up for all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality.

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