OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to examine the difference in risk factors of the metabolic syndrome according to exercise frequency in adult women who participated in the 12-week exercise program and cut-off value of exercise participation rate to improve metabolic syndrome.METHODS The subjects of this study were 150 adult women aged 40 to 64 with metabolic syndrome. They were divided into three groups according to the frequency of exercise. The 12-week exercise program involved aerobic and resistance exercises with moderate intensity. All subjects were measured before and after the program for the percentage of body fat, physical fitness, and risk factors of metabolic syndrome. The differences in each measurement variable before and after the program were analyzed and the interaction between the time and the group was measured. Cut-off values of exercise participation rate for improvement of metabolic syndrome were calculated, and logistic regression analysis for calculated cut-off values was conducted.RESULTS As a result, the percentage of body fat, flexibility, sit-up, SBP, TG, and HDL-C showed interaction by time and group. Exercise participation rate cut-off value for improving metabolic syndrome was calculated 46 days of a total 60 days. This is equivalent to 3.8 times a week of average exercise frequency.CONCLUSION The frequency of exercise after the 12-week exercise program has been shown to affect some fitness factors and metabolic syndrome factors. In addition, a significant cut-off value was calculated for the improvement of metabolic syndrome, and the average frequency of exercise was 3.8 times a week, and participation above this cut-off value increased the probability of improving metabolic syndrome by 1.5 times through 12-week exercise programs.