The Television Truth
By: Katharine Boucher
Watching television might as well be just as bad as smoking, if not worse. According to an article from Time for Kids, people who watch television 6 hours per day live an average of 4.8 years less than those who watch television rarely or not even at all. Not only that, but a fact sheet produced by The 84, a non-tobacco movement, states that each cigarette that is smoked takes 7 minutes off a smokers life, which is 18 minutes less time then a person who watches t.v. for an hour over the age of 25. So it might as well be true that watching television can be as harmful as smoking.
Some might ask, Why might watching television be such of a concern? For one, there is no reason why it is healthy to sit in front of a t.v. for most of the day, every day. It is a proven fact that sitting down for most of the day is not very healthy for a human being because as people, we were made to move and should exercise. So the less active you are throughout the day because of television, the more likely you are too develop illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes. Secondly, television advertisements, such as junk food and fast food commercials, can promote bad health. Careless food choices can also be made in front of the screen, as well.
To further my point, Doctor Veerman, the lead author of this study, stated that doctors should consider asking there patients how often they sit in front of the television because this situation is a very serious matter. He mentioned this, as well “Exercise is good, but even light physical activity also improves health.”
To conclude my statement, we should all try to watch how much we are watching t.v. and be conscious of our eating habits. For those who are really concerned about this situation, make sure to exercise every other day, if not daily to keep healthy and well-maintained. Also, keep in mind this motto of mine, everything in moderation.
