Funding Agency:

National Institute of Health

Total Project Period:

4/01/08 - 3/31/10

Total Project Award:

$48,542

Principal Investigator:

Anthony Fabio, MPH, PhD

Co-Investigators:

None

Project Summary:

Emerging data suggest that high amounts of exposure to TV may play a role in cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and violence - several of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States.

Exposure to a myriad of images and messages included in TV programming and commercials may promote behaviors that increase risk of chronic disease, including sedentary lifestyle, poor nutritional choices, cigarette smoking, and excessive alcohol intake. Images and messages on TV may promote aggressive behavior that may lead to violence.

Interestingly, numerous studies have suggested that aggression or hostility may exacerbate risk factors for cardiovascular disease, raising the possibility that TV viewing may be one common upstream factor linking psychosocial outcomes with chronic diseases. We argue that the personality traits of hostility and aggression may be important effect modifiers for both of these pathways, a novel and yet untested hypothesis.