Binge-watching might be hazardous to your health, study says

The Assassination of Gianni Versace for one blissful binge? Might want to reconsider, if there’s any validity to a University of Minnesota study about fatal blood clots.

In an analysis of 15,000 adults divided into four groups based on how they watched television, people who watch “very often” run a 1.7 times higher risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) — or deep vein thrombosis — clots in the legs and pulmonary embolisms.

The danger comes from prolonged sitting and impaired circulation and doesn’t seem to be eliminated by exercise during other times or weight levels.

The study followed 15,150 adults over a 24-year-span and divided the participants into groups who never or seldom, sometimes, often or very often watched TV. The risks of VTE is greatest for adults over age 60. Estimates suggest that up to 300,000 people in the United States suffer a VTE annually.

“Even individuals who regularly engage in physical activity should not ignore the potential harms of prolonged sedentary behaviors such as TV viewing,” said Dr. Yasuhiko Kubota, the study’s lead researcher. The findings were published in the Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis.

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