Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Watching more than 3.5hrs TV a day makes your memory worse
Survey’s warning for older viewers
WATCHING too much TV could seriously damage your ability to remember words, a study shows.
Over-50s who view for more than 3.5 hours a day will find their vocabulary declines twice as fast as someone who watches far less TV.
Dr Daisy Fancourt, of University College London, said: “It suggests this age group should try and ensure television viewing is balanced with other contrasting activities.”
Verbal memory and fluency tests were carried on 3,600 participants over six years for the study, published in the journal Scientific Reports.
Those who watched for more than 3.5 hours had an average decline of 8-10%, compared to a decline of 4-5% in those who watched less. Worryingly, vocabulary skills are one of the first things affected by Alzheimer’s disease and word tests are used to diagnose it.
Screen-based activities, such as video gaming and internet use, can have benefits such as improved problem-solving.
But it is possible the passive nature of TV may create a stress that could aid memory decline. It also takes up time which could be used on activities to boost brain power, such as reading.
Dr Fancourt said the study raises questions about the effects of different kinds of TV shows and whether TV is a risk factor for the onset of dementia.
She added: “But findings do suggest viewing for more than 3.5 hours per day could contribute to cognitive decline.”