Associations of Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Fatness with Metabolic Syndrome in Rural Women with Prehypertension

Abstract

Background. This study investigated the associations of fitness and fatness with metabolic syndrome in rural women, part of a recognized US health disparities group. Methods. Fitness, percentage body fat, BMI, and metabolic syndrome criteria were assessed at baseline in 289 rural women with prehypertension, ages 40–69, enrolled in a healthy eating and activity community-based clinical trial for reducing blood pressure. Results. Ninety (31%) women had metabolic syndrome, of which 70% were obese by BMI (≥30 kg/m2), 100% by percentage body fat (≥30%), and 100% by revised BMI standards (≥25 kg/m2) cited in current literature. Hierarchical logistic regression models, adjusted for age, income, and education, revealed that higher percentage body fat (P < 0.001) was associated with greater prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Alone, higher fitness lowered the odds of metabolic syndrome by 7% (P < 0.001), but it did not lower the odds significantly beyond the effects of body fat. When dichotomized into “fit” and “unfit” groups, women categorized as “fat” had lower odds of metabolic syndrome if they were “fit” by 75% and 59%, for percentage body fat and revised BMI, respectively. Conclusion. Among rural women with prehypertension, obesity and fitness were associated with metabolic syndrome. Obesity defined as ≥25 kg/m2 produced results more consistent with percentage body fat as compared to the ≥30 kg/m2 definition.

Reduced Flexibility Associated with Metabolic Syndrome in Community-Dwelling Elders

“…Associations between metabolic syndrome and cardiorespiratory fitness were reported in previous studies but were not identified in the current results [ 28 – 30 ]. Two reasons might account for this finding.…”

“…Two reasons might account for this finding. First, prior research defined cardiorespiratory fitness as the maximal amount of oxygen consumed during high intensity exercise, most of which were calculated from an equation consisting of results from a walk or shuttle run test, and participant age, gender, and body weight [ 28 – 30 ]. Hence, the association reported in previous literature may be due in part from demographic differences between participants with and without metabolic syndrome.…”

Which is more important for reducing the odds of metabolic syndrome in men: Cardiorespiratory or muscular fitness?

“…However, after further adjustment made for S7SF, associations between CRF and MetSy were markedly attenuated. Similar to this, but in middle age and elderly women, Hageman et al (8) reported the effect of higher CRF, estimated using 1-mile walk test, in lowering the odds of MetSy, but not beyond effects of body fat. Our findings corroborate previous studies reporting that the association between CRF and cardiovascular and metabolic risks can be largely explained by the relationship between CRF and obesity (7) and visceral adiposity (15).…”

“…The finding has been well documented in numerous scientific studies in both sexes and in different age groups, especially as regards to cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF; (6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)). Yu et al (17) showed greater associations of CRF with MetSy as compared with physical activity in middle-aged and elderly women.…”

Obesity and Physical Function in Rural Women who Enroll in a Lifestyle Modification Intervention for Reducing Blood Pressure

“…1,2 Rural Midwestern women have documented higher rates of overweight and obesity, poorer self-reported health and less access to preventive services compared to their urban counterparts. 3,4 As such, women in underserved rural communities have been targeted as priority populations for research to address cardiovascular risk and other health disparities by agencies with the US Department of Health and Human Services, such as the National Institutes of Health and the Agency for Healthcare Quality and Safety. 5,6 …”