The media help us to lead a healthier life

People who are curious and regularly informed by the media, lead a healthier lifestyle, according to researchers.

The experts from Catholic University in Rome examined the relationship between receipt of information from the media and eating habits, especially concerning the Mediterranean diet, including more than 1,000 adults. Study participants completed a special questionnaire on their habits of using the media.

Found that those who regularly read newspapers and magazines, watch TV and surf the Internet, eating more fruits and vegetables, fish and other healthy foods, which reduces the risk of obesity, heart disease and cancer.

The findings may help to determine the contribution of media to raise awareness of people about health, they say.

The results show that the most curious and using mass media, adhere most to the Mediterranean diet, which is considered to be an effective dietary pattern to reduce the risk of chronic and degenerative diseases of the nervous system.

According to previous studies mass media can have negative effects on health. For example, television viewing is associated with physical inactivity and unhealthy eating, which are major risk factors for obesity and heart disease.

But the new findings suggest that television programs on health issues, for example, have a positive impact on viewers in terms of keeping a healthy lifestyle and diet.

In their next study, researchers will explore online media as a key to information on health issues of young people.

The study is published in the International Journal of Public Health.