At the University of Queensland, in Australia, researchers have found that watching too much television is putting older Australians at risk of type 2 diabetes. Australians over 60 were found to watch four hours of TV a day, or one more hour than younger adults.
Study leader Dr Paul Gardiner, from the university's School of Population Health said in a statement to the Sydney Morning Herald: "Reducing sedentary behaviour may be a feasible and practical way for older adults to improve their health, and may be particularly important for those whose health or physical functioning, limits their participation in moderate-intensity physical activity."
Dr. Gardiner's study on the elderly found light activity such as folding washing while watching TV could mitigate the damage of developing metabolic syndrome, a group of cardiovascular disease predictors linked to type 2 diabetes.
Dr. Gardiner's study suggest that too much TV time in assisted living and continuing care residences can be problematic for the health of dwellers.