Get those kids moving!

Australian researchers have just published a study that shows kids who spend too much time in front of a tv or computer screen have arterial narrowing behind the eyes, an early sign of high blood pressure and future heart disease.

Children who exercised an hour or more each day had wider arteries there than did children who spent a half hour or less each day being active, the study said.

The take home message was that the more time spent watching TV, the narrower the arteries were, translating from each hour of screen time leading to an increase in systolic blood pressure of 10 mm Hg, researchers said.

Researchers looked at the arteries in the backs of eyes because they are the one set of arteries that can be looked at directly without a sophisticated noninvasive test.

We have known for a long time that narrowing of the arteries is associated with high blood pressure but this study shows that signs of heart disease can show up even at a young age, just by being sedentary.

Time to get ourselves moving as well as the kids!