Too much TV may speed up brain aging

Spending long hours  watching television may be harmful to your brain over time according to a new study from the United States.

Researchers at the University of Southern California found that people who spent more time in front of the TV were more likely to develop brain changes linked to aging and memory problems.

The study included more than 1,700 adults with an average age of 53. Participants reported how many hours they watched TV each day.

Researchers also performed MRI brain scans at the start of the study and again about 20 years later.

After following the participants for more than two decades the researchers found that those who watched the most TV showed greater brain changes associated with aging stroke cognitive decline and dementia.

The study also found that these individuals had a smaller volume in brain areas responsible for memory thinking and visual processing compared to people who watched less television.

However the researchers noted that not all sitting activities affect the brain in the same way.

They said the type of activity matters. Sitting while working reading or doing mentally engaging tasks did not show the same level of negative brain changes as spending long hours watching TV.

The researchers explained that people spend nearly half of their waking hours sitting making it important to understand how different activities affect brain health.

They also noted that women often combine TV watching with household chores while men are more likely to sit continuously and watch television for long periods.

In today’s world many people also use multiple screens at the same time which may further increase the effects of a sedentary lifestyle.

The researchers stressed that the study does not prove that watching TV directly causes brain decline.

The findings are based on participants’ self reported habits so more research is needed to confirm the link.