Depression is the most common mental disorder in the modern era and can affect people of all ages.
Now an important reason for its rapid spread has been identified, which is spending excessive time watching television TV. This was revealed in a medical study conducted in the United Kingdom.
Research by the University of Cambridge found that spending less time in front of the TV reduces the risk of depression, especially among middle aged individuals.
The study attempted to determine what effects occur if the time spent in front of the TV is reduced and replaced with sleep or exercise.
Previous research reports had identified a link between prolonged sitting and depression.
In this study, data from more than 65,000 individuals who were free from depression at the start of the research was analyzed. These individuals were monitored for four years and data from all age groups was compared.
Participants were asked how much time they spent outdoors, exercising, playing sports, doing household work, engaging in physical activities at offices or schools, watching TV and sleeping. Later, tests were conducted to diagnose depression among them.
The study found that reducing daily TV watching time by 60 minutes and allocating that time to other activities such as exercise or sleep reduces the risk of depression by up to 11 percent. Similarly, watching 90 to 120 minutes less TV reduces the risk by up to 25.91 percent.
However, the greatest benefit was observed among middle aged individuals. If people in this age group watch one hour less TV daily, their risk of depression decreases by up to 18.78 percent. Watching 90 minutes less reduces the risk by 29 percent, while reducing TV time by up to two hours lowers the risk by up to 43 percent.
The results of this study were published in the journal European Psychiatry.
