The metabolic syndrome: prevalence and association to leisure-time and work-related physical activity in 60-year-old men and women.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome and its association to lifestyle factors in 60-year-old men and women, with special emphasis on physical activity (PA).


RESULTS
Every third 60-year-old man and woman in the Stockholm County, Sweden, was invited to a survey of cardiovascular risk factors. Seventy-seven percent of the sample, 4228 individuals, agreed to participate (2036 men and 2192 women). Participants underwent physical examination and laboratory tests, and completed a questionnaire. After excluding 364 subjects suffering from cardiovascular disease and/or cancer, the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was 24% and 19% in men and women, respectively. The adjusted odds ratio for having the metabolic syndrome in the high leisure-time PA group was 0.33 (95% confidence interval: 0.22-0.51) using the low leisure-time PA group as reference. However, no such inverse association was noted for work-related PA.


CONCLUSIONS
This cross-sectional survey of 60-year-old men and women demonstrates a high prevalence of the metabolic syndrome. The robust inverse dose-response relationship between leisure-time PA and the metabolic syndrome emphasises the role of PA in the prevention and treatment of the metabolic syndrome.
Halldin
M
M
Department of Cardiovascular Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. mats.halldin@imm.ki.se <mats.halldin@imm.ki.se>
Rosell
M
M
de Faire
U
U
Hellénius
M-L
ML
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
D008055:Lipids