TV Watching Could Raise Seniors' Dementia Risk

novamc1 · ‎07-02-2015

(Story by Linda Searing appeared in Washington Post and in today's metro Atlanta newspaper.)

Excerpt:

How older adults spend sedentary time (while sitting) makes a difference in their chances of developing dementia, according to research pubished by the National Academy of Sciences.

Reportedly, people whose time sitting was primarily spent watching TV had a 24-percent increased risk for dementia.

Those who spent that time on a computer had a 15-percent reduced risk for dementia.

TV watching is cognitively passive, while computer use is cognitively active and requires reading, which is more stimulating..

For both groups of study participants, odds of developing dementia linked to their sitting persisted, no matter how physically active they were at other times of the day.

Previous studies have pointed to physical exercise as beneficial for reducing cognitive decline and dementia.

Dementia, [edit] which is not considered a normal part of aging, is an umbrella term used to describe memory loss, confusion, language and reasoning problems and behavioral changes.

The study involved 146,651 adults aged 60 and above who did not have dementia when the study began. After tracking for about a dozen years, 3,507 participants had been diagnosed with dementia.

Imaoldhippie · ‎06-10-2015

Just as I suspected commercials are detrimental to your health.

BE THE PERSON YOUR DOG THINKS YOU ARE! (unknown)

MamaWick · ‎03-09-2010

I watch TV and use my tablet at the same time (like right this minute). Does that make my risk 9% higher? 🙂

My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness ~ Dalai Lama XIV

When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace ~ Jimi Hendrix

Bookplate · ‎08-19-2011

@Imaoldhippie wrote:
Just as I suspected commercials are detrimental to your health.

To say nothing of Real Housewives.

geezerette · ‎03-16-2010

@Imaoldhippie wrote:
Just as I suspected commercials are detrimental to your health.

Especially the ones urging you to "ask your doctor" about the drugs with all the serious side effects.

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

In the last year the tv has gone days without being on and is on very little (1-2 hrs) when it is on. I can tell you both of us are appreciably sharper and more active.

Combined with a very monitored balanced diet, lots of fruits and veggies, enough protein and fiber, we both feel better than we have in years. I'll add that getting enough vitamines C and D have helped as well.

novamc1 · ‎07-02-2015

@MamaWick

The fact that you did the math indicates your cognitive ability is intact.

Loved your post.

At the gym, I watch my stocks trading on the TV screens attached to exercise machines, and even manage to read a paperback book while on some of those machines. Keeps me from getting bored and enables me to withstand an hour of exercise.

One would think I'd be mentally sharp by now, but I don't think my anti-aging plan is working. Perhaps watching too many stupid TV shows at night is holding me back!

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

I can see how, if one is just competely vegging, watching tv for hours a day can raise risk. I watch a lot of tv and, with where my life has gone at this point, I would NOT want to be without it.

* But, IMO, it's not just about 'watching tv' as much as it is about the just vegging part and not using the old brain.

This is why, when I started to have some cognitive issues, I began doing more things to actually use the old brain and I think it has made a difference. I still have my struggles but it hasn't gotten worse and in some ways it has gotten better.

I just do little things, some of which are tv related like some of the game shows where I participate. I do some other things to make me reason, focus, and calculate. I do think this is important, even if it's just doing crossword puzzles or playing solitaire or other things in which you must figure out answers and focus.

I'm not out there doing calculus or anything because I do know that I'm not as smart as I used to be. But little things where you do have to think and focus seem to make a difference.

I kind of put this in the category of 'use it or lose it' because, for some people, cognitive decline will happen. It just makes good sense to try and expand what you have left by using it every day in different ways.