Vegging out in front of the TV or computer may do more harm for your health than originally thought. A new study finds that every hour individuals spend being sedentary each day is associated with an increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.

Researchers in Australia followed 8,800 individuals age 25 and older for a period of six years. Participants underwent oral glucose-tolerance tests and provided blood samples so researchers could measure biomarkers such as cholesterol and blood sugar levels. They also reported on their television viewing habits.

Overall, they found that each hour spent in front of the television daily was associated with an 11 percent increased risk of death from all causes, a 9 percent increased risk of death from cancer and an 18 percent increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

Researchers say the findings apply to everyone, regardless of weight.

In addition, they say the results are applicable to Americans, who watch an average of eight hours each day of television and have higher rates of overweight and obese individuals than in Australia.