This may not come as a shock to any – but scientists have come with a conclusion that teenagers who binge on unhealthy snacks while they sit for hours watching TV or playing video games can increase the risk of heart diseases and diabetes.
The study’s findings said that such teens increase their risk of developing metabolic syndrome, which includes increased risk of high blood pressure, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels, which all contribute in elevating the risk of heart diseases, stroke and diabetes.
"The take-home message is limiting your screen time is important, but when it is not possible, avoiding snack consumption may help you to reduce your risk of metabolic syndrome," said Beatriz Schaan, of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil.
The research was part of the Study on Cardiovascular Risks in Adolescents (ERICA), a school-based survey of Brazilian teens. The study included data on 33,900 teens ages 12 to 17.
For the research, the team measured the teens’ waists and blood pressure and also took blood samples to observe their blood glucose, HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides.
Among the participants, 60% of the teens were female and the average age was 14.6