title: Associations of occupational, transportation, household and leisure-time physical activity patterns with metabolic risk factors among middle-aged adults in a middle-income country.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigates physical activity in different domains and its association with metabolic risk factors among middle-aged adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from August 2010-August 2011. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, systolic/diastolic blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose/lipid profile were measured in 686 Malay participants (mean age 45.9 ± 6.5 years). Self-reported physical activity was obtained with the validated IPAQ (Malay version) and categorized into low-, moderate- and high-activity levels across occupational, transportation, household and leisure-time domains.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants spent most of their time on household (567.5, 95% CI: 510-630 MET-minutes/week) and occupational activities (297, 95% CI: 245-330 MET-minutes/week). After adjusted for gender and smoking, participants with low-activity levels in occupational, transport and household domains were associated with significantly higher odds for metabolic syndrome (2.02, 95% CI: 1.33-3.05; 1.49, 95% CI: 1.01-2.21; 1.96, 95% CI: 1.33-2.91). Significantly higher odds for obesity and abdominal obesity were consistently reported among those with low-activity levels across all four domains.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High-activity levels in occupational, transportation and household domains were each negatively associated with metabolic syndrome among our cohort. Increase participation of physical activity across all four domains (including leisure-time activity) should be encouraged.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. annechu@siswa.um.edu.my
authors.forename: Anne H Y
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Foong Ming
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Moy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014186:Transportation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D008055:Lipids
keywords: Blood glucose; Central obesity; Cross-sectional studies; Hypertension; Malaysia; Metabolic syndrome; Obesity; Physical activity; Serum lipids