Television is Sucking the Life Out of People

A new study finds that the Golden Girls marathon you’ve been watching on Nick at Nite may prevent you from reaching your own golden years. According to the Wall Street Journal, television is killing us:

In a provocative look at the impact of sedentary behavior on health, a new study links time watching television to an increased risk of death. One of the most surprising findings is that it isn’t just couch potatoes who were affected—even for people who exercised regularly, the risk of death went up the longer they were in front of the TV. The problem was the prolonged periods of time spent sitting still.

Australian researchers who tracked 8,800 people for an average of six years found that those who said they watched TV for more than four hours a day were 46% more likely to die of any cause and 80% more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than people who reported spending less than two hours a day in front of the tube.

It should be noted, however, that hours spent reading FirstThings.com is correlated with leading a happier, healthier, and more productive life (and don’t let any Aussie researchers tell you otherwise).