Even a few hours of watching TV harmful for elderly

Older people who watch more than five hours of television a day and indulge in three or lesser hours of physical activity in a week were at more than three-fold higher risk of being unable to walk or having difficulty walking, researchers warned.

The findings showed that people who watched five or more hours of television per day had a 65 per cent greater risk of reporting a mobility disability, compared with those who watched television for less than two hours per day.

"Television viewing is a very potent risk factor for disability in older age," said lead author Loretta DiPietro from the George Washington University.
Younger people might be able to get away with sitting for long periods because they are physiologically more robust.

But after age 50, prolonged sitting, and especially prolonged television viewing, becomes particularly hazardous, DiPietro said. "We've engineered physical activity out of our modern life with commuting, elevators, the internet, mobile phones and a lifestyle that often includes 14 hours of sitting per day," DiPietro said.

"Our findings suggest that older people who want to remain fit must ramp up their daily physical activity and reduce the amount of time they spend sitting," DiPietro added.