Here’s some troubling news that you should not take sitting down: new research found that people who spend a lot of time sitting at a desk or in front of a TV are likely to die of any cause during a three-year period.

These findings, from a new study by Sydney University in Australia, are particularly relevant to tens of millions of Americans who are the proverbial couch potatoes. In fact, a survey released at the end of March by the Physical Activity Council, a coalition of sports and fitness trade groups, shows that the number of “inactive” people in the United States grew by 1 million in 2011, to 68.2 million – nearly 20 percent of the population.

Why should we be concerned? Because Americans average five hours of TV time every day, according to a study published last year in the Journal of American Medical Association. And that does not include the time we spend each day on other sedentary tasks. It may be very important to you to keep up with the Kardashians but be aware that, according to the 2011 Harvard University study, watching TV for two hours a day increases your risk for type 2 diabetes by 20 percent and cardiovascular disease by 15 percent.