REPORT

Lead researcher Professor Hiroyasu Iso, from Osaka University, said: “Pulmonary embolism occurs at a lower rate in Japan than it does in Western countries, but it may be on the rise.

“The Japanese people are increasingly adopting sedentary lifestyles, which we believe is putting them at increased risk.”

Deaths from pulmonary embolism are thought to be under-reported and the actual risk may be greater than the findings suggest, say the

PROFESSOR HIROYASU ISO authors writing in the American Heart Association journal Circulation. The scientists took account of factors that might have influenced their results, including levels of obesity, diabetes, smoking, and high blood pressure.

After the number of hours spent watching TV, obesity appeared to have the strongest link to pulmonary embolism. Co-author Dr Toru Shirakawa warned against lengthy TV sessions that might involve back-to-back episodes of a favourite series.

“The Japanese people are increasingly adopting sedentary lifestyles, which we believe is putting them at increased risk”