Walking and metabolic syndrome in older adults.
BACKGROUND
Little data exists describing the impact that walking has on metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a multicultural sample of older adults.


METHODS
Walking was measured via pedometer in 150 older adults from 4 different ethnic categories. Steps per day were classified as low (< 3100 steps/d) or high (> or = 3100 steps/d) for statistical analyses.


RESULTS
Occurrence of MetS was lower in the white (33%) versus non-white population (50%). Low steps/d were related to an increase in MetS for both white (OR = 96.8, 95% CI 12.3-764.6) and non-white individuals (OR = 4.5, 95% CI 1.8-11.3). Low steps/d also increased the odds for selected components of MetS in both the white and non-white groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Low levels of walking increase the likelihood of having MetS in both white and nonwhite older adults. Efforts to increase walking in older adults may decrease the likelihood of developing this clustering of disease risk factors.
Strath
Scott
S
University of Wisconsin, 2400 E. Hartford Ave., Milwaukee, WI, USA.
Swartz
Ann
A
Parker
Sarah
S
Miller
Nora
N
Cieslik
Linda
L
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000886:Anthropometry; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*; D014922:Wisconsin / Q000453:epidemiology