[Reading Health] Staying Home Due to COVID-19... Watching Only TV Can Cause Heart Disease

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Han (32), an office worker, has been practicing social distancing by staying at home instead of going out since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Korea. Spending most of his leisure time indoors, he mainly watches TV. Experts advise that instead of suddenly reducing activity indoors, light exercise should be done to prevent vascular diseases.

For the heart to keep working 24 hours without rest, continuous energy supply, inspection, and maintenance are necessary. Most heart abnormalities stem from vascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis. There are various causes of vascular diseases, but significantly reducing activity by staying indoors and only watching TV, like Han, can also be a cause.

The so-called 'couch potato' who lies on the sofa watching television while eating potato chips has a higher risk of heart disease than others. Professor Hwang Hee-jung of the Cardiovascular Medicine Department at Kangdong Kyung Hee University Hospital said, “According to overseas studies, the risk of heart disease increases by 7% for every additional hour of watching TV daily.”

The reason TV watching negatively affects heart health is due to lack of movement. Coupled with high-calorie foods and snacks rich in trans fats and saturated fats, such as potato chips and chicken, it becomes fatal to heart health. Every 2% increase in trans fat intake roughly doubles the risk of cardiovascular disease. Also, sitting on the sofa for long periods causes blood stagnation in the legs, which can lead to blood clots. If a blood clot travels through blood vessels and blocks the pulmonary artery, it can cause pulmonary embolism.

People with a family history of sudden death from heart disease, those with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, smokers who have smoked more than one pack a day for over 20 years, and obese individuals are especially high-risk groups for heart disease and should be cautious about reduced movement. Increased sedentary time combined with intake of harmful fats raises blood cholesterol levels, causing deposits in blood vessels and arteriosclerosis, increasing the risk of angina and myocardial infarction.

To keep the heart healthy, it is important to improve high-fat dietary habits and exercise regularly. For strengthening the heart, aerobic exercises such as jogging, skipping rope, swimming, and hiking are more helpful than temporary intense strength training. Professor Hwang said, “Even when living indoors, riding a stationary bike while watching TV or diligently doing housework is a good method.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.