Fitbit-Tracked Micromovement for Cardiometabolic Health in Rural Women

This pilot study tests whether a low-burden prevention program can be integrated into routine care to identify and reduce cardiometabolic risk in rural women. Rural women face high rates of cardiometabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions (elevated blood pressure, abdominal obesity, abnormal cholesterol, and high blood sugar) that raises the risk of heart disease and diabetes, yet often face barriers to prevention and screening. The study enrolls physically inactive adult women with multiple cardiometabolic risk factors who receive care at a rural federally qualified health center. At a baseline visit, participants complete surveys and clinical assessments including inflammatory biomarkers (C-reactive protein and interleukin-6), metabolic labs, blood pressure, waist circumference, menopausal status, and social determinants of health. Participants then take part in a 12-week program of brief, frequent daily movement supported by a wearable activity tracker. Assessments are repeated at 12 weeks. Because this is a single-group pilot, every participant receives the program and serves as her own comparison. The study evaluates whether the model is feasible to run within routine clinic workflows and examines preliminary changes in cardiometabolic and inflammatory risk indicators. Findings will inform larger studies of scalable prevention strategies for rural women.

Inclusion Criteria: Female, aged 18 to 80 years Physically inactive, defined as less than 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week (by self-report) Metabolic syndrome, defined as three or more cardiometabolic risk factors consistent with NCEP ATP III criteria, based on documented diagnosis or clinical history: waist circumference \>88 cm; blood pressure ≥130/85 mmHg; fasting blood glucose ≥100 mg/dL; triglycerides ≥150 mg/dL; HDL cholesterol \