Several studies published in the Archives of Internal Medicine proved, once again, that physical fitness and constant exercise could help prevent certain types of cancers and heart disease. The study showed that physical activity by older adults could prevent colon cancer, and quitting smoking and taking up an active lifestyle could aid in the fight against heart disease and prolong life.
Like many studies that focus on physical health, the topic of watching TV too much was awarded space within the study. It proved that people who begin to watch less TV are more likely to get involved in physical activities and pursue a healthy lifestyle.
Another study, ‘Turn Off the TV,’ published by Jennifer J. Otten of Stanford University, Palo Alto, Calif., explained that the smallest positive changes in a person’s lifestyle could have extraordinary effects. Otten’s team studied 36 overweight and obese adults. They found that those that cut their TV time in half burned more calories than those that made no changes at all. The participants whose TV was cut off, were forced to stop watching by electronic lock-out devices that shut their TVs off after they reached 50 percent of their normal weekly value. Prior to the study, participants reportedly watched at least three hours of TV per day.
