Association Between Occupational Sitting With High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein: The Jackson Heart Study

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Health
• Inflammation Biomarkers
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Modifiable behavioral risk factors, such as prolonged occupational sitting, are implicated in cardiovascular disease.
• Inflammation, indicated by c-reactive protein (CRP), is a key cardiovascular risk factor.
• Understanding the interplay between occupational sitting, inflammation, and sex is crucial for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the association between self-reported occupational sitting and c-reactive protein (CRP) levels.
• To investigate the role of sex in the relationship between occupational sitting and CRP.
• To examine these associations within a cohort of African American adults.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from 2889 African American participants in the Jackson Heart Study.
• Assessed self-reported occupational sitting frequency (often/always, sometimes, never/seldom).
• Employed multivariable linear regression models to analyze CRP levels in relation to occupational sitting, adjusting for covariates.

Main Results:

• In unadjusted analyses, frequent occupational sitting ("often/always") was associated with higher CRP levels compared to infrequent sitting ("never/seldom").
• This association appeared more pronounced in female participants.
• However, neither the overall nor the sex-specific association remained statistically significant after full adjustment for confounding variables.

Conclusions:

• An association between occupational sitting and inflammation (CRP) was observed in this cohort.
• The relationship between occupational sitting and CRP demonstrated variation by sex.
• The observed association did not persist after accounting for other relevant covariates, suggesting a complex interplay of factors.