Television has entertained families for generations, but spending many hours in front of the screen may come with an unexpected cost.
A new study suggests that people who watched TV very frequently during middle age later had signs of poorer brain health compared with those who rarely watched. The findings were published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia.
Researchers from the University of Southern California examined whether all forms of sitting have the same effect on the brain.
Their results suggest the answer is no. What people do while sitting may be just as important as how long they stay seated.
The study followed nearly 1,700 adults for more than two decades. Participants first answered questions about their television habits and time spent sitting at work.
Years later, brain MRI scans allowed scientists to compare brain structure with earlier lifestyle habits.
Frequent television viewers were more likely to have smaller frontal and occipital lobes, lower volume in memory-related brain regions, and greater white matter damage. White matter acts like communication cables connecting different parts of the brain, and damage to these pathways has been linked to cognitive decline and dementia.
In contrast, people who sat for long periods while working did not show the same pattern. In fact, many had healthier brain measurements. The researchers think mentally active jobs may stimulate the brain even though they involve sitting.
The study also suggested that men may be more affected than women, although the reasons remain unclear. Scientists say more work is needed to understand whether biological differences, lifestyle factors, or other influences explain this result.
The researchers stress that this does not mean everyone should stop watching television completely. Enjoying TV in moderation is unlikely to be harmful for most people. The concern is spending many hours watching television day after day over many years while doing little else that challenges the brain.
Study analysis: The study’s long follow-up and large number of participants strengthen confidence in the results, but there are important limitations. Television viewing was based on participants’ own reports, which may not always be accurate, and no early MRI scans were available for comparison.
Even so, the findings support the idea that replacing some television time with mentally stimulating activities and regular physical exercise may help keep the brain healthier as people age.
If you care about brain health, please read studies that eating apples and tea could keep dementia at bay, and Olive oil: a daily dose for better brain health.
For more health information, please see recent studies what you eat together may affect your dementia risk, and time-restricted eating: a simple way to fight aging and cancer.
Source: University of Southern California (USC).
