They carried out a six-year study on nearly 9,000 Australian adults over the age of 50, on this subject.
They found that adults who watched TV for more than four hours a day had a 46 per cent higher risk of death from all causes, and an 80 per cent higher risk of cardiovascular death, compared to those who watched TV for less than two hours a day.
The study also found that sitting anywhere for extended periods of time - at a desk or in front of a computer - may pose a health risk.
A study by the American Heart Association also found that each hour spent before the TV per day raised a person's risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 18 per cent and the risk of cancer death by 9 per cent.
Dr. Tim Chico, a cardiologist at Britain's University of Sheffield, noted that television provides no health benefit, and eats up time that could be better used to get healthier.
