TV watching is a risk factor for walking difficulty in older adults
Dr KK Aggarwal
The advent of TV and then computer, mobile phones and internet has cut down on physical activity, more so over the last few years, with deleterious effects on health. Working long hours on the computer, using social media on smartphones, watching TV are all activities that promote sedentary behavior. Compared to their younger counterparts, the elderly are more prone to develop a sedentary lifestyle because of multitude of reasons such as health conditions, social situation, anxiety about falls, joint stiffness and pain, alterations in gait and in balance, etc.
A recently published study in the Journals of Gerontology: Medical Sciences has identified sitting and watching TV for long periods as a strong risk factor for disability in older age.
Researchers analysed data from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-American Association of Retired Persons (NIH-AARP) Diet and Health Study. All study participants aged 50 to 71 years were healthy at the start of the study. All types of sedentary behavior and physical activity (light, moderate and vigorous) were recorded at baseline. The participants were followed for about 10 years.
