How TV Watching Increases PAD Risk

New evidence published in the Journal of the American Heart Association has highlighted how watching TV increases PAD risk. It shows that spending too much time watching television increases risk for all forms of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), which includes peripheral arterial disease (PAD), stroke and heart attack. But how much TV can you watch safely, and how can you reduce your PAD risk? Keep reading to find out.

TV Watching and PAD Risk: The Rule of Two

This study. reveals that watching two or more hours of TV each day will increase your ASCVD risk. Conversely, if you limit your viewing to less than one hour each day, you can reduce your overall risk. But why does too much TV watching increase PAD risk?

According to lead study author Dr. Youngwon Kim, "Watching TV, which accounts for more than half of daily sedentary behavior, is consistently associated with an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes and atherosclerosis. Our study provides new insights into the roles of limiting TV viewing time in the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease for everyone and especially in people with a high genetic predisposition for Type 2 diabetes."

To reach these conclusions, researchers reviewed medical records, genetic and lifestyle data from close to 350,000. They learned that daily TV watching in excess resulted in a 12% increase in ASCVD risk. This clearly shows that a sedentary lifestyle can dramatically impact your cardiovascular health. But there are other important risk factors for peripheral artery disease of which you need to be aware.

How Your Lifestyle Impacts PAD Risk

While TV watching increases PAD risk, your overall exercise habits will impact cardiovascular health. Diet is also important, and smoking can create major health concerns. Ready to take control of your cardiovascular health? We encourage you to move more and watch less TV. (Pull back on the time you spend scrolling through your phone, too.) Next, you can learn more about your Peripheral Artery Disease Risk Factors with our quick and easy personal assessment. Finally, if you have an elevated risk for PAD, contact our specialists and request a consultation with the Georgia Endovascular team to discuss your best next steps.