TELEVISION VIEWING AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK-FACTORS IN YOUNG-ADULTS - THE CARDIA STUDY

Cross-sectional associations between self-reported hours of television (TV) viewing per day and cardiovascular risk factors were assessed in a biracial (black and white) study population of 4280 men and women, ages 23 to 35 years, undergoing the year-5 follow-up examination for t he Cardiovascular Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study in 1 990 to 1991. Number of hours of TV viewing per day was higher in black s than in whites and was inversely associated with education and incom e. Relative to ''light'' TV viewers (0 to 1 h/d), ''heavy'' TV viewers (greater than or equal to 4 h/d) had a higher prevalence (P < 0.05) o f obesity, smoking, and high hostility score in all race/gender groups , and of physical inactivity in all groups except black men. Among whi tes, ''heavy'' TV viewers had higher depression scores, and among blac ks, reported more alcohol use. TV viewing was not associated with hype rtension and lipid abnormalities. Heavy TV viewing is a modifiable beh avior that is associated with increased prevalence of several cardiova scular risk factors.