Turn off the TV! Too often this is the advice parents give to their children simply because they feel children should be doing other things, or the noise is annoying. Are there good reasons to turn it off? And what about adults—surely some relaxation is good? For some time we have known just how dangerous sitting down in front of the television can be in terms of cardiovascular mortality. Indeed, simply sitting in front of the television, even if it is turned off, is risky. Now we have the figures to tell us just what those risks are.1

Scarily, half an hour in front of the box once over the age of 25 may shorten life by just as much as a cigarette. Typical viewing behaviours of several hours per day can reduce life expectancy by years. The question remains, what is the really dangerous content? Does watching sport, particularly a nail-biting contest, reduce or increase the risk?

Having taken on board the straightforward and potent message that television is dangerous, we then should consider alternative activities. For the children, desirable options may include playing sport or a …