title: Is self-reported physical functioning associated with incident cardiometabolic abnormalities or the metabolic syndrome?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Physical functioning may be an important pre-clinical marker of chronic disease, used as a tool to identify patients at risk for future cardiometabolic abnormalities. This study evaluated if self-reported physical functioning was associated with the development of cardiometabolic abnormalities or their clustering (metabolic syndrome) over time.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (n = 2,254) from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation who reported physical functioning on the Short Form health survey and had a metabolic syndrome assessment (elevated fasting glucose, blood pressure, triglycerides and waist circumference; reduced HDL cholesterol) in 2000 were included. Discrete survival analysis was used to assess the 10-year risk of developing metabolic syndrome or a syndrome component through 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 22.0%. Women with substantial limitations (OR = 1.60; 95% CI: 1.12, 2.29) in physical functioning were significantly more likely to develop the metabolic syndrome compared with women reporting no limitations. Self-reported physical functioning was significantly associated with incident hypertension and increased waist circumference.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Simple screening tools for cardiometabolic risk in clinical settings are needed. Self-reported physical functioning assessments are simple tools that may allow healthcare providers to more accurately predict the course of chronic conditions.
authors.affiliation: Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Kelly R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Ylitalo
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Carrie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Karvonen-Gutierrez
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Data Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Candace
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McClure
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Data Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Samar R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: El Khoudary
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.affiliation: Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sternfeld
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Siobán D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Harlow
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008019:Life Style; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D057566:Self Report; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000378:metabolism; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D014280:Triglycerides
keywords: metabolic syndrome; physical functioning