A low-glycemic nutritional fitness program to reverse metabolic syndrome in professional firefighters: results of a pilot study.
BACKGROUND
The risk for cardiovascular events is higher for those with metabolic syndrome (MetS), and it is known that firefighters have a 4-fold risk for cardiovascular events. The purpose of this study was to quantify MetS prevalence and evaluate the effect of a low-glycemic nutritional fitness program on the reduction of MetS risk factors among firefighters.


METHODS
Professional firefighters were screened for MetS then enrolled in a low-glycemic nutritional fitness program for a 12-week period. Anthropometric and physiological measurements were obtained at the start and end of the program. Subjects with 3 or more of the following were positive for MetS: waist-40-inches or greater (men) or 35 inches or greater (women), blood pressure 135 mm Hg or greater (systole) or 85 mm Hg or greater (diastole), fasting blood sugar 100 mg/dL or greater, triglycerides 150 mg/dL or greater, and high-density lipoproteins less than 40 mg/dL (men) or less than 50 mg/dL (women). Weekly sessions provided low-glycemic nutrition instruction, fitness training, and evaluation of individual progress.


RESULTS
Seventy-five firefighters (aged 42 [SD, 8] years, mostly white men) had a total MetS prevalence of 46.7% (P<.05 vs normal population). One platoon (10 men, aged 48 [SD, 5] years) was enrolled in the 12-week program. Most (7/10) had MetS at the baseline, but this prevalence decreased significantly after 12 weeks to 3 subjects (P=.02). On average, subjects had 3.2 (SD, 1.6) versus 1.9 (SD, 1.7) MetS risk factors (P<.01) at baseline and the 12-week interval, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of MetS and MetS risk factors is higher among professional firefighters compared with the general population. A short-duration, low-glycemic fitness program can successfully improve anthropometric and physiological measures and reduce the prevalence of MetS.
School of Nursing, The State University of NewYork at Buffalo, 209 Wende Hall, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA. mgcarey@buffalo.edu
Mary G
MG
Carey
Salah S
SS
Al-Zaiti
Limei M
LM
Liao
Heather N
HN
Martin
Rachael A
RA
Butler
D000328:Adult; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies
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