Researchers found those who spent the most time in front of a screen, an average of two and a half hours a day, had "significantly" higher blood pressure levels than those who spent hardly any.

    Researchers believe that one of the reasons could be that too much "screen time" diverts children away from more active hobbies, such as sports, although they think there are also other factors involved.

    High blood pressure is one of several risk factors that can increase the risk of developing potentially deadly heart conditions.

    The study looked at 111 children aged between three and eight.

    On average the children spent 1.5 hours a day in front of the computer, although some spent considerably more.

    The findings, published in the Archives of Paediatrics & Adolescent Medicine journal, show that those children who spent the least amount of time in front of a screen had significantly lower blood pressure levels than those who spent the most.

    David Martinez-Gomez, from Iowa State University, said: "The results of this study showed that TV viewing and screen time were associated with elevated blood pressure independent of body composition in children.

    "Given that total objective sedentary time was not associated with elevated blood pressure, it appears that other factors, which occur during excessive screen time, should also be considered in the context of sedentary behaviour and elevated blood pressure development in children."

    警惕：導致孩子血壓升高的殺手！

    研究發現，看電視或電腦時間長了容易導致高血壓。一天平均看電視或電腦兩個半小時的人比幾乎不看電視電腦的人血藥明顯要高。

    雖然研究人員還有其他原因，但是他們認為，原因之一是過長時間地看電視或電腦會使孩子們遠離一些積極的興趣，比如運動。

    高血壓是導致致命的非正常心跳的危險因素之一。

    此研究調查了年齡在3到8歲之間的111個孩子。

    平均來講，一個孩子大約每天用電腦的時間是1.5個小時，然而也有更多者。

    刊登在美國醫學協會雜志的新一項研究報告表明看電視或電腦時間最少的孩子比看電視或電腦時間最多的孩子的血壓明顯要低。

    愛荷華州立大學的David Marti6nez-Gomez說："此項研究結果表明，看電視或電腦的時間長短與孩子們的高血壓有關系。"

    既然客觀的久坐與高血壓并無關系，那么在過久看電視或電腦的時間里，其他因素應該與孩子們的高血壓有關系。