Physical Activity and Television Watching in Relation to Risk for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Men

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Abstract
EPIDEMIOLOGICAL evidence strongly supports a role of exercise in the prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus.1-8 However, less attention has focused on sedentary behaviors in relation to risk for diabetes. Television (TV) watching represents a major sedentary behavior in the United States; on average, a male adult spends approximately 29 hours per week watching TV, and a female adult, 34 hours per week.9 Television watching results in lower metabolic rate compared with other sedentary activities such as sewing, playing board games, reading, writing, and driving a car.10 In several studies, time spent watching TV has been strongly associated with weight gain and obesity in children11,12 and adults.13-15 The purpose of this study is to examine whether prolonged TV watching predicts subsequent diabetes risk independent of physical activity in a prospective cohort of men. We also examined total physical activity, vigorous exercise, and moderate-intensity activity in relation to risk for type 2 diabetes in this cohort.