Short CommunicationTelevision viewing time among statin users and non-users. The Polish Norwegian Study (PONS)

- Sedentary behavior is considered an independent cardiovascular disease risk factor.
- Statin users are recommended to have an active lifestyle.
- We found that more statin users than nonusers watch TV > 21 h/week.
- Novel behavioral interventions are needed to reduce sedentary among statin users.

Sedentary behavior has emerged as an independent cardiovascular disease risk factor. Uncertainty exists about the behaviors of statin users, who may exhibit either a healthy adherer or a false reassurance effect. We conducted this study in order to assess and compare TV viewing among statin users and nonusers.We used data from a cross-sectional study of 12,754 participants, from south-east Poland, age 45 to 64 years in 2010-11. Statin use during last 30 days was recorded by trained nurses. Participants reported time spent viewing TV/week.There were 1728 (13.5%) statin users of which 628 (36.34%) had cardiovascular diseases. The prevalence of viewing TV ≥ 21 h/week was higher among statin users (29.72%) compared to non-users (23.10%) and remained 15% higher after adjusting for age, sex, education, smoking, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other chronic diseases (prevalence ratio, PR 1.15, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.25). We found a similar pattern in both those with and without prevalent cardiovascular disease.In conclusion, we found a higher prevalence of prolonged TV-viewing among statin users than non-users. Future studies are needed to explore innovative behavioral interventions and patient counseling strategies to reduce TV viewing among statin users.