Study: Binge Watching TV Is Bad For Your Health

PITTSBURGH (NewsRadio 1020 KDKA) - Since streaming services like Netflix debuted, people have started binge watching their favorite shows, especially when a show like "House of Cards" releases an entire season at once.

A new study says that sitting in front of your TV for hours on end is bad for your health.

Dr. Bonny Rockette-Wagner from the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh is one of the lead researchers of the study. She joined the "KDKA Morning News" with Larry Richert and John Shumway to talk about it.

Dr. Rockette-Wagner says that it's not really the watching of TV that is bad for you.

"The lack of movement, that when people are sitting, watching television that they're really not moving and movement is important," she said.

She adds that the people involved in the study were already at high risk for diabetes.

So, how much of an increase in risk is there?

"A 3.4 percent increase risk of diabetes for each hour of watching TV per day," Dr. Rockette-Wagner said.

She said if you're going to watch TV for a long period of time to do it while engaging in some kind of physical activity like walking on a treadmill.

Listen to the "KDKA Morning News" with Larry Richert and John Shumway weekdays from 5 to 9 a.m. on NewsRadio 1020.

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