More Sitting Time Tied to Mortality, CVD in Both Rich, Poor Countries

High amounts of sitting time are associated with an increased risk for all-cause mortality and major cardiovascular disease (CVD) across economically diverse countries, according to a study published online June 15 in JAMA Cardiology.

Sidong Li, from the Peking Union Medical College in Beijing, and colleagues examined the association between sitting time and mortality and major CVD in countries at different economic levels. The analysis included 105,677 adults (aged 35 to 70 years) in 21 high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries, with a median follow-up of 11.1 years.

The researchers found that compared with less than four hours per day of sitting, longer sitting time (at least eight hours per day) was associated with an increased risk for the composite outcome of all-cause mortality and major CVD, all-cause mortality, and major CVD. The association of sitting time with the composite outcome was stronger in low-income and lower-middle-income countries versus high-income and upper-middle-income countries. For participants who sat for at least eight hours per day, there was a 17 to 50 percent higher risk for the composite outcome across physical activity levels, with risk attenuated with increased physical activity levels.

“Reducing sedentary time along with increasing physical activity might be an important strategy for easing the global burden of premature deaths and CVD,” the authors write.