Relation between usual daily walking time and metabolic syndrome

Association between subjective walking speed and metabolic diseases in individuals with obesity: a cross-sectional analysis

The association between subjective walking speed and metabolic diseases has received limited attention, particularly in individuals with obesity. We aimed to clarify this association using comprehensive health checkup data of participants with obesity. In total, 8578 individuals with a body mass index ≥ 25.0 kg/m2, 9626 individuals with waist circumference ≥ 85 cm in men and ≥ 90 cm in women, and 6742 individuals who met both criteria of body mass index and waist circumference were included in this cross-sectional analysis. Subjective walking speed was investigated using the question "Is your walking speed faster than the speed of those of your age and sex?" in a health examination questionnaire. Metabolic diseases were defined according to the guidelines for each disease, and modified Poisson regression analyses were performed. In the model adjusted for age and sex, individuals with obesity based on body mass index and fast subjective walking speed showed significantly lower risk of diabetes mellitus (risk ratio [RR] 0.70; 95% CI 0.63-0.77) and dyslipidemia (RR 0.97; 95% CI 0.94-1.00). Similarly, among those with obesity based on waist circumference and both body mass index and waist circumference, fast subjective walking speed showed a significant negative association with hypertension (RR 0.94; 95% CI 0.90-0.97 and RR 0.95; 95% CI 0.92-0.99, respectively), diabetes mellitus (RR 0.70; 95% CI 0.64-0.77 and RR 0.70; 95% CI 0.63-0.77, respectively), and dyslipidemia (RR 0.96; 95% CI 0.94-0.99 and RR 0.96; 95% CI 0.94-0.99, respectively). Thus, among individuals with obesity, the odds of metabolic diseases were lower if their subjective walking speed was fast. This study contributes to earlier prevention of the cascade of diseases that begin with obesity.

Level of leisure-time physical activity and its association with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in adults: a population-based study

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the associations between changes in the level of leisure-time physical activity in adults and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome.

METHODS

This is a population-based study conducted with 818 adults aged 20 years or older from Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil, between 2009 and 2014. We tested the association of maintenance and/or changes in the level of physical activity with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome, adjusted for sociodemographic variables (gender, age, schooling, income, marital status, and ethnicity) and smoking habits. We used logistic regression and estimated the odds ratios (OR) and their respective confidence intervals (95%CI).

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 30.9% (95%CI 27.2-34.7). Regardless of adjustment variables, adults who ceased to be active and/or remained physically inactive during leisure time in the study period presented, respectively, 108 and 124% higher odds of developing metabolic syndrome (OR=2.08; 95%CI 1.30-3.33 and OR=2.24; 95%CI 1.38-3.65). Women and individuals younger than 45 years showed lower odds of having metabolic syndrome.

CONCLUSIONS

This sample presented a significant association between remaining or becoming inactive and a greater chance of developing metabolic syndrome.

Functional Capacity but Not Early Uptake of Cardiac Rehabilitation Predicts Readmission in Patients With Metabolic Syndrome

BACKGROUND

Phase II cardiac rehabilitation reduces hospital readmissions and cardiovascular disease risk factors and improves functional capacity. Cardiovascular disease risk factors double with patients with metabolic syndrome, a population less likely to adhere to cardiac rehabilitation.

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to determine relationships between cardiac rehabilitation uptake timing, demographic variables and functional capacity, and readmission in patients with metabolic syndrome.

METHODS

This retrospective, medical records study involved 353 patients with metabolic syndrome who subsequently received cardiac rehabilitation. Logistic regression was used to examine relationships between time from discharge to cardiac rehabilitation uptake and readmission. Unordered categorical factors were compared between readmission groups using Pearson χ tests. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify predictors of readmission.

RESULTS

Patients readmitted within 30 and 90 days of hospitalization were more often women (P ≤ .018) and nonwhite (P ≤ .002) and had lower functional capacity (P < .001). In multivariable analysis, white race (odds ratio [OR], 0.50 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.25-0.99]; P = .045) and higher functional capacity (OR, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.68-0.93]; P = .005) were protective against hospital readmission within the first 90 days. Race, sex, and functional capacity remained significant predictors of readmission at 1 year. In multivariable analysis, only race (OR, 0.41 [95% CI, 0.22-0.79]; P = .007) and functional capacity (OR, 0.83 [95% CI, 0.73-0.95]; P = .007) were significant. Early cardiac rehabilitation was not associated with readmission at any time point (P > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Sex, race, and functional capacity were important predictors of readmission for metabolic syndrome, even when cardiac rehabilitation intake was delayed. Results raise questions about the unique traits of patients with metabolic syndrome and need for novel approaches to improve cardiac rehabilitation utilization and functional capacity in metabolic syndrome.

Modal Shift from Cars and Promotion of Walking by Providing Pedometers in Yokohama City, Japan

Mobility management is a transportation policy aiming to change travel behavior from car use to sustainable transportation modes while increasing people’s physical activity. Providing pedometers and visualizing step counts, popular interventions in public health practice, may constitute a mobility management program. However, the ease of modal shifts and changeability of walking habits differ across neighborhood environments. Using questionnaire data from 2023 middle-aged and older participants from Yokohama, Japan, in May 2017, this study examined (1) the relationship between the physical and social environments of Yokohama Walking Point Program participants who volunteered to use free pedometers and their modal shifts from cars to walking and public transport, and (2) whether participants’ modal shifts were associated with increases in step counts. Multivariate categorical regression analyses identified the frequency of greetings and conversations with neighbors as well as health motivation as important explanatory variables in both analyses. Participants living in neighborhoods far from railway stations and in neighborhoods with a high bus stop density tended to shift to walking and public transport, a modal shift that was highly associated with increased step counts. These results suggest that mobility management should be promoted in collaboration with public health and city planning professionals.

Low levels of physical activity and metabolic syndrome: cross-sectional study in the Brazilian public health system

Abstract This study investigated whether low levels of physical activity in different domains is associated with risk factors for the occurrence of metabolic syndrome or metabolic syndrome itself. Habitual physical activity level was assessed among 963 participants, aged 50 years old or more, using Baecke’s questionnaire. Risk factors for metabolic syndrome followed the recommendations of “The IDF Consensus Worldwide Definition of the Metabolic Syndrome”. All the participants were users of the Brazilian Public Healthcare System. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 30.9%. Participants with lower levels of physical activity in leisure-time had higher chances of occurrence of diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia and metabolic syndrome. Occurrence of arterial hypertension was associated with lower levels of sports activities. It was found high rates of risk indicators for the occurrence of metabolic syndrome, as well as for diseases alone as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, and obesity. Lower involvement in physical activity in different domains increases the prevalence of risk factors for metabolic syndrome.

Positive effects of voluntary running on metabolic syndrome-related disorders in non-obese hereditary hypertriacylglycerolemic rats

While metabolic syndrome is often associated with obesity, 25% of humans suffering from it are not obese and the effect of physical activity remains unclear in such cases. Therefore, we used hereditary hypertriaclyglycerolemic (HHTg) rats as a unique model for studying the effect of spontaneous physical activity [voluntary running (VR)] on metabolic syndrome-related disorders, such as dyslipidemia, in non-obese subjects. Adult HHTg males were fed standard (CD) or high-sucrose (HSD) diets ad libitum for four weeks. Within both dietary groups, some of the rats had free access to a running wheel (CD+VR, HSD+VR), whereas the controls (CD, HSD) had no possibility of extra physical activity. At the end of the four weeks, we measured the effects of VR on various metabolic syndrome-associated parameters: (i) biochemical parameters, (ii) the content and composition of triacylglycerols (TAG), diacylglycerols (DAG), ceramides and membrane phospholipids, and (iii) substrate utilization in brown adipose tissue. In both dietary groups, VR led to various positive effects: reduced epididymal and perirenal fat depots; increased epididymal adipose tissue lipolysis; decreased amounts of serum TAG, non-esterified fatty acids and insulin; a higher insulin sensitivity index. While tissue ceramide content was not affected, decreased TAG accumulation resulted in reduced and modified liver, heart and skeletal muscle DAG. VR also had a beneficial effect on muscle membrane phospholipid composition. In addition, compared with the CD group, the CD+VR rats exhibited increased fatty acid oxidation and protein content in brown adipose tissue. Our results confirm that physical activity in a non-obese model of severe dyslipidemia has many beneficial effects and can even counteract the negative effects of sucrose consumption. Furthermore, they suggest that the mechanism by which these effects are modulated involves a combination of several positive changes in lipid metabolism.