Study: Sitting Too Much Increases Risk of Heart Disease

Spending too much time in front of a television or computer screen could increase a person's risk for heart disease or even heart attack, according to a new study.

Researchers at University College London found that those who sit in front of a screen or sit for more than four hours a day are two times more likely to have heart problems.

The findings appear in the Jan. 18 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

"Our research suggests that screen time and perhaps sitting in general can be very detrimental for overall and cardiovascular health," said lead researcher Emmanuel Stamatakis.

One way to decrease the risks is to limit the number of excess hours spent sitting.

Researchers stressed exercise does not take away from the risk, but that the problem arises when individuals sit all day at work, then sit during their leisure time.