However, other sedentary behaviors did not have the same association, suggesting what one does while sitting may matter more than previously thought
TUESDAY, July 28, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Not all sitting is the same in terms of its impact on brain health, according to a study published online July 10 in Alzheimer’s & Dementia.
Natan Feter, Ph.D., from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and colleagues used data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study (1,712 individuals) to examine the impact of sedentary behavior (TV viewing and occupational sitting) on brain health.
The researchers found that frequent TV watching in middle age was associated with increased white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume and reduced frontal, occipital, and Alzheimer disease-signature region volumes. There was a link between sitting during work, which is more cognitively active, and lower WMH and larger frontal (males only), occipital, and parietal volumes. When adjusting for physical activity, results remained consistent.
“For years we”ve focused on how much people sit,” senior author David Raichlen, Ph.D., also from University of Southern California, said in a statement. “Our findings suggest we should also pay attention to what they”re doing while they”re sitting.”
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