SEATTLE, Wash. — It’s often said that people spend too much time on their phones. But there’s another screen Americans are spending too much time with: their television. In this week’s Healthier Together, KIRO 7′s Ranji Sinha takes a look at the impacts it can have on your heart.
Ever since the TV was invented, there have been questions about how much screen time is too much. A study by the American Heart Association shows that people who have more sedentary lifestyles, and two or more hours each day in front of the television, have a 12 percent greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Doctors suggest limiting TV consumption to an hour or less daily to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Dr. Nicole Saint Clair, Executive Medical Director of Regence BlueShield, emphasizes that despite more publicity around heart disease, there is still a need to raise awareness.
“Do you know what your own heart disease risk is? Have you thought about how heart disease has touched your own life? One of the big things about awareness is that there are things you can do to reduce your risk,” Dr. Saint Clair tells KIRO 7. “Bringing awareness, making sure people are thinking, hey, when was the last time I got my blood pressure checked.”
Heart-related issues are also hitting younger populations. Young adults living with food insecurity could develop heart problems later in life. A study by Northwestern University finds that people experiencing hunger or a lack of healthy food have a 41 percent greater chance of developing heart disease midlife.
The authors of the study say tackling hunger now could have benefits in coming years especially since The U.S. Department of Agriculture found 13.5 percent of U.S. households were food insecure at some time during 2023. That is approximately 18 million households.
Dr. Saint Clair also says there is a need for more research into heart disease for all demographics to get a better picture of the impacts.
“Making sure that all of that is understood and considered when we’re looking at research and we’re thinking about where the future of medicine should go,” Dr. Saint Clair says. “We need to make sure that we’re coming up with ideas and research that suits everyone.”
©2025 Cox Media Group
