Physical Activity and Metabolic Syndrome in

Asians have an unusual high tendency to develop metabolic syndrome (MS) and CHD because of number of factors like fat cell size, body composition, genetics And many more. The present study was done to assess the association of physical activity and metabolic syndrome in an Indian urban middle aged population. A hospital based study was conducted with 1500 subjects. Anthropometrics and lipid profile were assessed. Physical activity level (PAL) was estimated by a standardized Physical Activity Questionnaire. By NCEP (ATP III) criteria, 750 subjects (44.9% of males and 55.1% of females) were categorised as having MS and 750 were non-metabolic syndrome (NMS) subjects. Almost all MS females (89.3%) and males (85.7%) had low HDL levels; abdominal obesity was the major characteristic in a large majority of MS females (82.5%). Majority of MS males (65.57%) and females (70.92%) had low PAL values indicative of a sedentary lifestyle. Odds ratio indicated that lack of physical activity increases the risk of metabolic syndrome by 3.34 times. The study showed that reduced HDL, high BP and elevated waist circumference were the major cause of MS. Physical inactivity was associated with the occurrence of metabolic syndrome.