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Watching TV poses a greater risk of cardiovascular disease than using a computer
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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Physical activity in children certainly reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the future, but lack of it does not necessarily increase it. The results of the study showed that a sedentary lifestyle can have different consequences for children's health.
Previous studies have found that being sedentary is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in adults. But Ms Carson, the study's author, found no link between being sedentary and the risk of diabetes or coronary heart disease among the children she studied.
Instead, she noted, some types of sedentary activity had a greater impact on children's health than others. In particular, frequent television viewing had a greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease, while computer use did not carry the same level of risk.
One possible explanation is that some studies have shown that watching TV is associated with lower energy expenditure. Another is that the frequent snacking between meals that often goes hand in hand with watching TV or movies may carry associated health risks.
"The main message from this study is that children should be more physically active, but we must not forget to monitor children's other activities throughout the day," explains Ms Carson. "Our study suggests that parents should also limit their children's television viewing time."