Association between television viewing and the risk of metabolic syndrome in a community-based population.
BACKGROUND
As a result of metabolic syndrome becoming an important issue during recent decades, many studies have explored the risk factors contributing to its development. However, less attention has been paid to the risk associated with sedentary behavior, especially television viewing. This study examined the association between television viewing time and the risk of having metabolic syndrome in a population of Taiwanese subjects.


METHODS
This community-based cross-sectional study included 2,353 subjects (1,144 men and 1,209 women) aged 40 and over from October, 2004 to September, 2005. Information about the time spent watching TV was obtained using a self-administered questionnaire. The definition of metabolic syndrome was according to the Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel modified for Asians.


RESULTS
Compared to subjects who viewed TV < 14 hr/week, those who viewed TV > 20 hr/week had a 1.50-fold (95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.10, 2.03) risk for men and a 1.93-fold (95% CI: 1.37, 2.71) risk for women of having metabolic syndrome, after adjusting for physical activity and other covariates. Stratifying by the three categories of total activity levels, TV viewing time > 20 hr/week was found to still hold a significant risk for having metabolic syndrome in the lowest of the three categories of total activity level for men and in all three categories of total activity level for women.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest that TV viewing is an independent risk factor associated with metabolic syndrome in Taiwanese people.
Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. lisa319.tw@yahoo.com
Pei-Chia
PC
Chang
Tsai-Chung
TC
Li
Ming-Tsang
MT
Wu
Chiu-Shong
CS
Liu
Chia-Ing
CI
Li
Ching-Chu
CC
Chen
Wen-Yuan
WY
Lin
Shin-Yuh
SY
Yang
Cheng-Chieh
CC
Lin
D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013690:Television; D013997:Time Factors