# Assessing Associations Between Environmental, Sleep, and Physical Activity Factors and Metabolic Syndrome Risk: Protocol for the FEASible Study

## TL;DR

The FEASible study uses wearable devices and sensors to explore how physical activity and indoor air quality relate to metabolic syndrome risk in Latina women.

## Contribution

The study introduces a low-cost, dense sampling approach to collect environmental and physiological data for metabolic syndrome risk modeling in a diverse population.

## Key findings

- Early data show a diverse participant pool with 60% Hispanic or Latina women.
- A pipeline for collecting brain scan and environmental exposure data has been established.
- Initial data collection and analysis are ongoing with expected results by 2028.

## Abstract

FEASible is a cross-sectional observational study that explores women’s daily living patterns through wearable devices and home environment sensors to validate the use of physical activity and indoor air quality data as indicators of risk for metabolic syndrome (MetS) and cardiovascular disease.

Leveraging transdisciplinary expertise, we implement a low-cost, dense sampling approach among 800 adult women, 60% Hispanic or Latina, with a subgroup of 225 participants opting for neuroimaging to assess MetS-related brain vulnerability.

Participants residing in Central Texas use a smartwatch and a custom-built air quality sensor to monitor their activities and environment for two weeks. Other variables, such as social determinants of health, medical history, and lifestyle, are reported through surveys. During their initial visit, we gather blood pressure measurements, body composition, and lipid profile information.

As of August 2025, a total of 805 participants have completed the eligibility survey, of whom 204 have completed 2 weeks of sensor data collection, showing a diverse participant pool comprising 60% (210/348) Hispanic or Latinas, 39% (135/348) non-Hispanic or Latinas, and 1% (3/348) unknown. Participants are aged 18-40 years, with an average age of 27 years (SD 6 years). The study was funded in May 2023 (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; grant R01HL168374), and data collection began in October 2023, with a projected completion date of May 2028. Ongoing analyses and publication of early cohorts are expected to occur throughout 2026 and 2027, with final analyses and dissemination of results anticipated by the end of the funding period in 2028.

We have established a feasible pipeline to collect data that will help yield valuable insights into MetS risk factors among Latina women, including brain scan magnetic resonance imaging data and environmental exposure measurements. This paper aims to provide a rationale for procedures and case examples from the first year of data collection leading to health risk modeling, thus informing future interventions on MetS, heart disease, and all-cause mortality among Latina women.

DERR1-10.2196/82034