Sedentary Habits Damage Cognitive Health for Rural Heart Patients, Study Shows

A new study links long sitting times to worse brain function. This connection is especially strong for people living in rural areas. The patients also have heart disease and depression symptoms. Researchers studied 135 adults for this analysis. Most participants lived in rural Kentucky.

Scientists tracked the patients’ daily sedentary time. They used special wrist-worn devices to measure this. They also tested brain function remotely. On average, patients sat for nearly eight hours each day.

The results showed a clear, negative relationship in rural settings. Sitting longer meant lower cognitive scores. For instance, an extra 100 minutes of daily sitting reduced the cognitive score by 0.6 points. This link did not appear in suburban or urban patients.

Therefore, new health plans are necessary. These plans must target rural cardiac populations. Stopping long sitting periods can improve brain health. This specific focus will greatly help these communities.