If you love to while away a weekend binge watching a season’s worth of episodes from a favorite TV series, you may inadvertently put yourself at risk for developing a dangerous blood clot.
When researchers compared people who reported watching TV more often to those who seldom or never watched TV, the risk of a venous thromboembolism (VTE) jumped by 70 percent.
A VTE is a type of blood clot that can block blood flow in a vein, according to the American Heart Association.
“I don’t think TV watching itself is an evil thing, but everything in moderation,” said study co-author Dr. Mary Cushman. She’s a professor of medicine at the University of Vermont’s Larner Medical College.
“Think about how you’re spending your time, and see if you can take advantage of your TV time to get some activity in,” advised Cushman.
Her own solution? Walking on her treadmill when she watches TV.
