June 20, 2024 – According to a study by researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, replacing sedentary activities like watching TV with physical exercise can enhance the likelihood of healthy aging.
The findings, published in JAMA Network Open, were highlighted in a June 11 CNN article.
The study examined data from over 45,000 participants in the Nurses’ Health Study who were 50 years or older and free from major chronic diseases as of 1992. Over the next 20 years, researchers assessed how sedentary behaviors impacted healthy aging, defined as living to at least 70 without major chronic diseases or impairments in memory, physical function, or mental health. They discovered that each additional two hours spent watching TV daily was linked to a 12% reduction in the odds of healthy aging. Conversely, incorporating two hours of light physical activity each day was associated with a 6% increase in the odds of healthy aging.
“Our key message is that substituting TV time with light physical activity, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, and adequate sleep (for those lacking it) promotes healthy aging,” said senior author Molin Wang, associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology.
Other co-authors from the Harvard Chan School include Hongying Shi, Frank Hu, Tianyi Huang, Eva Schernhammer, Walter Willett, and Qi Sun.
Read the study: Sedentary Behaviors, Light-Intensity Physical Activity, and Healthy Aging
Read the CNN article: Why stop watching so much TV? It affects how you age, new study says
– Jay Lau
Photo: iStock/Terraxplorer
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