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The results of the prospective study [1] involved in this paper showedthat a long time watching television could increase the risk of developing diabetes. Actually, there were two systematic reviews [2,3] assessing the association between sedentary time defined as the time of watching television and diabetes. The pooled effect sizes were HR = 1.910 (95%CI, 1.64 to 2.22) [3] and RR = 2.12 (95%CI, 1.61 to 2.78) [2], respectively. The primary studies on the impact of watching television included in systematic reviews were prospective studies with moderate to high quality. Although, there were potential heterogeneity and publication bias, according to GRADE approach, the quality of evidence was high, or moderate at least because of low risk of bias on study design and large magnitude of effect. Then, there was a strong association between watching television and diabetes. In our opinion, a new study for assessing the relationship between watching television and diabetes may not be needed.
In addition, a prospective cohort study [4] published in a Chinese journal showed there was a dose-response gradient and each 1 h/d increment in viewing TV was associated with a 9.2% (95%CI, 3.1% to 15.7%) increase in risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. A nationwide survey [5] showed that the overall prevalence of diabetes was estimated to be 11.6% (95% CI, 11.3% to 11.8%) in the Chinese adult population. It meant that there were more than 113 million patients with diabetes in China. However, nowadays, Chinese fitness dancing named guangchangwu in Chinese is very popular in the people aged from 40 to 65. This kind of physical activity can effectively reduce the sedentary time and improve health outcome. Guangchangwu may be a good intervention for preventing diabetes in China.
References:
1. Rockette-Wagner B, Edelstein S, Venditti EM, et al. The impact of lifestyle intervention on sedentary time in individuals at high risk of diabetes. Diabetologia. 2015 Apr 8; doi:10.1007/s00125-015-3565-0.
2. Wilmot EG, Edwardson CL, Achana FA, et al. Sedentary time in adults and the association with diabetes, cardiovascular disease and death: systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetologia. 2012;55(11):2895-905.
3. Biswas A, Oh PI, Faulkner GE, et al. Sedentary time and its association with risk for disease incidence, mortality, and hospitalization in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Intern Med. 2015;162(2):123-32.
4. FAN Sen, CHEN Ji-chun, HUANG Jian-feng, et al. Relationship Between Television Viewing Time and the Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Chinese Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study. Chinese Circulation Journal. 2014;29(5):372-376.
5. Xu Y, Wang L, He J, et al. Prevalence and control of diabetes in Chinese adults. JAMA, 2013, 310: 948-959.
Competing interests:
No competing interests
10 April 2015
Dang Wei
Evidence-based Medicine Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University; Key Laboratory of Evidence-based Medicine and Knowledge Translation of Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730000, China.
Re: Risk of developing diabetes increases with time spent watching TV, study shows
The results of the prospective study [1] involved in this paper showedthat a long time watching television could increase the risk of developing diabetes. Actually, there were two systematic reviews [2,3] assessing the association between sedentary time defined as the time of watching television and diabetes. The pooled effect sizes were HR = 1.910 (95%CI, 1.64 to 2.22) [3] and RR = 2.12 (95%CI, 1.61 to 2.78) [2], respectively. The primary studies on the impact of watching television included in systematic reviews were prospective studies with moderate to high quality. Although, there were potential heterogeneity and publication bias, according to GRADE approach, the quality of evidence was high, or moderate at least because of low risk of bias on study design and large magnitude of effect. Then, there was a strong association between watching television and diabetes. In our opinion, a new study for assessing the relationship between watching television and diabetes may not be needed.
In addition, a prospective cohort study [4] published in a Chinese journal showed there was a dose-response gradient and each 1 h/d increment in viewing TV was associated with a 9.2% (95%CI, 3.1% to 15.7%) increase in risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. A nationwide survey [5] showed that the overall prevalence of diabetes was estimated to be 11.6% (95% CI, 11.3% to 11.8%) in the Chinese adult population. It meant that there were more than 113 million patients with diabetes in China. However, nowadays, Chinese fitness dancing named guangchangwu in Chinese is very popular in the people aged from 40 to 65. This kind of physical activity can effectively reduce the sedentary time and improve health outcome. Guangchangwu may be a good intervention for preventing diabetes in China.
References:
1. Rockette-Wagner B, Edelstein S, Venditti EM, et al. The impact of lifestyle intervention on sedentary time in individuals at high risk of diabetes. Diabetologia. 2015 Apr 8; doi:10.1007/s00125-015-3565-0.
2. Wilmot EG, Edwardson CL, Achana FA, et al. Sedentary time in adults and the association with diabetes, cardiovascular disease and death: systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetologia. 2012;55(11):2895-905.
3. Biswas A, Oh PI, Faulkner GE, et al. Sedentary time and its association with risk for disease incidence, mortality, and hospitalization in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Intern Med. 2015;162(2):123-32.
4. FAN Sen, CHEN Ji-chun, HUANG Jian-feng, et al. Relationship Between Television Viewing Time and the Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Chinese Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study. Chinese Circulation Journal. 2014;29(5):372-376.
5. Xu Y, Wang L, He J, et al. Prevalence and control of diabetes in Chinese adults. JAMA, 2013, 310: 948-959.
Competing interests: No competing interests