A new study suggests being a couch potato may be even more harmful than originally thought for teens. Researchers in Canada have found that decreases in the amount of exercise teens got were linked to increases in blood pressure.

According to Reuters, researchers at McGill University in Montreal followed nearly 1,300 participants who were 12 and 13 years old for five years. The teens periodically reported on their exercise activities and had their blood pressure and body fat measured.

The study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that the subjects blood pressure slightly increased each time they skipped exercise over the course of the study.

The findings suggest that a sedentary lifestyle, along with weight, can have a negative impact on overall health as well as risk factors for heart disease and diabetes into adulthood.

Exercise and a eating a healthy diet remain the most important things individuals can do to keep weight and blood pressure in check.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, it’s recommended that children and adolescents get at least one hour of physical activity each day.