Calling all couch potatoes and TV series lovers to get up and have a break from the TV. Here's another reason why we need to leave the TV alone: research shows that watching TV is not only bad for our eyes but also to our health as it is now linked to 8 leading causes of death in the United States. Yes, prolonged TV viewing may cause death.

Previous studies have already warned people about the health risks TV viewing brings to people, however science has become bolder regarding its take on people's TV viewing habits. A recently published study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine says that in addition to cancer and heart disease, many hours of TV viewing is associated with 6 other causes of death.

Researchers of the National Cancer Institute had reported that TV viewing elevates the risk of death from cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Needless to say, 92% of Americans who have a television at home and spend more than half of their leisure time sitting in front of the idiot box are at risk. Lead investigator Sarah K. Keadle, PhD. explains that TV watching is a sedentary behaviour that is also found to increase the probability of diabetes, influenza, pneumonia, Parkinson's disease and liver disease. The study discovered that individuals who were watching 3-4 hours of television every day were 15% more likely to die from any cause while those who watched 7 or more hours a day were 47% more likely to die over the study period.

Dr. Keadle suggests that the first choice to replace people's TV viewing habit should be exercise as this may somehow eliminate risks associated with the sedentary behaviour.

The investigators will continue to explore the connection of TV viewing and mortality further and see if activities that involve sitting in long periods of time such as driving, working and other stationary activities can also be associated with causes of death.