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Now Even Watching TV Can Kill You, Study Finds

Watching too much TV can be fatal, a study has found.

Japanese scientists studied the viewing habits of 86,000 people between 1988 and 1990 - then monitored their health over the next 19 years.

They discovered that every additional two hours of TV per day increased the chance of a fatal pulmonary embolism - or blood clot in the lungs - by 40%.

Those who watched five hours or more were more than twice as likely to die than those watching less than 2.5 hours.

Pulmonary embolism is closely linked to inactivity and slowed blood flow.

It often starts as a clot in the leg or pelvis before working its way up and becoming lodged in a small blood vessel in the lungs.

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Those behind the study say people are "increasingly adopting sedentary lifestyles, which we believe is putting them at increased risk".

Co-author Dr Toru Shirakawa, from Osaka University, pointed to the rise in streaming sites such as Netflix as a factor.

"Nowadays, with online video streaming, the term 'binge-watching' to describe viewing multiple episodes of television programmes in one sitting has become popular.

"This popularity may reflect a rapidly growing habit."

The researchers recommend going for a walk and stretching every hour during TV time.