"Watching television is a cognitively passive activity because viewers are primarily receiving information rather than actively processing it. Asked whether the study proves television watching causes negative brain changes, she said simply: "No. While the findings shouldn't be interpreted as proof that television directly damages the brain, she said they add to growing evidence that prolonged passive, sedentary behavior isn't ideal for long-term brain health. "Staying physically active and limiting this kind of prolonged passive sedentary behavior both appear to be important," she said. Instead, Wen suggested the more useful takeaway is considering how passive screen time might be displacing other activities.