title: Cardiorespiratory fitness as a feature of metabolic syndrome in older men and women: the Dose-Responses to Exercise Training study (DR's EXTRA).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We studied the associations of cardiorespiratory fitness with metabolic syndrome in older men and women, because such data are limited in representative population samples.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied a population sample of 671 men and 676 women aged 57-79 years at baseline of a randomized controlled intervention study. We assessed maximal oxygen uptake (Vo(2max)) by respiratory gas analysis during a maximal bicycle exercise test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vo(2max) had a strong, inverse, and graded association with the risk of having metabolic syndrome as defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program criteria. Men and women in the lowest third of Vo(2max) had 10.2- and 10.8-fold higher risks and those in the middle third had 2.9- and 4.7-fold higher risks (P < 0.001 all) of metabolic syndrome than those with the highest Vo(2max) after multivariable adjustments. Factor analysis generated a principal factor that was strongly loaded by the main components of metabolic syndrome and Vo(2max) (-0.68 in men and -0.70 in women).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with metabolic syndrome in older men and women. Our findings suggest that low cardiorespiratory fitness could be considered a feature of metabolic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Kuopio Research Institute of Exercise Medicine, Kuopio, Finland. maija.hassinen@uku.fi
authors.forename: Maija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hassinen
authors.forename: Timo A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Lakka
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Savonen
authors.forename: Hannu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Litmanen
authors.forename: Leena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kiviaho
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Laaksonen
authors.forename: Pirjo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Komulainen
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rauramaa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D015444:Exercise; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides