Associations of muscle strength and fitness with metabolic syndrome in men.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the associations for muscular strength and cardiorespiratory fitness with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among men.


METHODS
Participants were 8570 men (20-75 yr) for whom an age-specific muscular strength score was computed by combining the body weight adjusted one-repetition maximum measures for the leg press and the bench press. Cardiorespiratory fitness was quantified by age-specific maximal treadmill exercise test time.


RESULTS
Separate age and smoking adjusted logistic regression models revealed a graded inverse association for metabolic syndrome prevalence with muscular strength (beta = -0.37, P < 0.0001) and cardiorespiratory fitness (beta = -1.2, P < 0.0001). The association between strength and metabolic syndrome was attenuated (beta = -0.08, P < 0.01) when further adjusted for cardiorespiratory fitness. The association between cardiorespiratory fitness and metabolic syndrome was unchanged (beta = -1.2, P < 0.0001) after adjusting for strength. Muscular strength added to the protective effect of fitness among men with low (P trend = 0.0002) and moderate (P trend < 0.0001) fitness levels. Among normal weight (BMI < 25), overweight (BMI 25-30), and obese (BMI >or= 30) men, respectively, being strong and fit was associated with lower odds (73%, 69%, and 62% respectively, P < 0.0001) of having prevalent metabolic syndrome.


CONCLUSIONS
Muscular strength and cardiorespiratory fitness have independent and joint inverse associations with metabolic syndrome prevalence.
The Cooper Institute, Dallas, TX 75230, USA. djurca@cooperinst.org
Radim
R
Jurca
Michael J
MJ
Lamonte
Timothy S
TS
Church
Conrad P
CP
Earnest
Shannon J
SJ
Fitzgerald
Carolyn E
CE
Barlow
Alexander N
AN
Jordan
James B
JB
Kampert
Steven N
SN
Blair
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015444:Exercise; D005947:Glucose; D006801:Humans; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010809:Physical Fitness; D014481:United States
D008074:Lipoproteins; D005947:Glucose