title: Improvement of metabolic syndrome markers through altitude specific hiking vacations.
abstract: To study the influence of a 3-week hiking vacation at moderate (1700 m) and low altitude (LA) (200 m) on key-markers of the metabolic syndrome, 71 male volunteers (age 36-66 yr old) with the metabolic syndrome [according to the National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) - or World Health Organization (WHO) - definition] participated in the study and were randomly assigned into a moderate altitude (MA) group (1700 m, no. 36) and a low altitude (LA) group (200 m, no. 35). The 3-week vacation program included 12 moderate- intensity guided hiking tours [4 times/week, 55-65% heart rate maximum (HRmax)] with a total exercise time of 29 h plus moderate recreational activities. Both study groups had a comparable and balanced nutrition with no specific dietary restrictions. Anthropometric, metabolic and cardiovascular parameters were measured 10-14 days before vacation, several times during the 3-week vacation, 7-10 days and 6-8 weeks after return. All participants tolerated the vacation without any adverse effects. Body weight, body fat, waist-circumference, fasting glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), plasma fibrinogen, resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure were significantly decreased over time in both study groups. In the LA group, fasting insulin and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA)-index were significantly decreased one week after return. Relative cycle ergometry performance was significantly increased after return compared to baseline. In both study groups, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), 2-h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides remained unchanged. The 3-week vacation intervention at moderate and LA had a positive influence on all key-markers of the metabolic syndrome. No clinically relevant differences could be detected between the study groups. A hiking vacation at moderate and LA can be recommended for people with stable, controlled metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors.
authors.affiliation: University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology Tyrol, Institute for Leisure, Travel and Alpine Medicine, A-6060 Hall in Tirol, Austria.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Greie
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Humpeler
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Gunga
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koralewski
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klingler
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mittermayr
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fries
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lechleitner
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hoertnagl
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Strauss-Blasche
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schobersberger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000531:Altitude; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005080:Exercise Test; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D016138:Walking
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002784:Cholesterol