LONDON (Dispatches) --
Scientists recommend that people need to take breaks when binge-watching TV to avoid blood clots.
Lead author Dr. Setor Kunutsor of the University of Bristol, UK says that study findings also suggest that being physically active does not eliminate the increased risk of blood clots associated with prolonged TV watching.
The study examined the association between TV viewing and venous thromboembolism (VTE). VTE includes pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lungs) and deep vein thrombosis (blood clot in a deep vein, usually the legs, which can travel to the lungs and cause pulmonary embolism).
Dr. Kunutsor concluded: “Our results suggest that we should limit the time we spend in front of the television. Long periods of TV watching should be interspersed with movement to keep the circulation going. Generally speaking, if you sit a lot in your daily life -- for example your work involves sitting for hours at a computer -- be sure to get up and move around from time to time.”
The warning comes as the study reports that watching TV for four hours a day or more is associated with a 35% higher risk of blood clots compared with fewer than 2.5 hours.