With millions of people told to stay at home as part of pandemic lockdowns, TV viewing numbers have increased (Simon Roughneen) DUBLIN — “Too much television is bad for you” is more than just an adage parroted by exasperated parents at heedless, homework-shirking teenagers, going by research carried out by US-based scientists. Using information gleaned from three surveys and studies involving more than 17,000 people, academics from Columbia University, the University of Alabama and Johns Hopkins University (JHU) said they believe “moderate-to-high TV viewing in midlife” contributes to “later cognitive and brain health decline.” “Engaging in healthy behaviours during midlife may be important factors to support a healthy brain later in life,” according to Kelley Pettee Gabriel, epidemiology professor at the University of Alabama and lead author of one of the papers, which are to be presented at an American Heart Association conference in Dallas on Thursday.