Article

Physical activity (PA) and physical fitness (PF) are inversely
associated with the clustering of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors (RF)
associated with the metabolic syndrome (MS). However, the role of individual
components of PA, that is, intensity, duration and volume, and the
inter-relationship with PF in the prevention of the MS and its individual
components remains elusive. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis. METHODS: The study
was based on 1298 (874 male and 424 female) police employees (aged 18-62 years)
who participated in the Utrecht Police Lifestyle Intervention Fitness and
Training study. PA was assessed with an extensive questionnaire. Peak oxygen
uptake and metabolic markers, including blood pressure, fasting glucose,
triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and waist circumference, were
determined. RESULTS: The prevalence of the MS was 18.6% (22.5% in men, 10.6% in
women). After adjustment for age and sex, average PA intensity, PA duration, PA
volume and PF were each associated with reduced odds of MS. Regression analyses
further showed an inverse relation between total CVD risk score and average PA
intensity, the hours of PA performed at high intensity (>6 metabolic equivalent
values) and PF, but no relation with total hours or the hours of PA performed at
low or moderate intensity. When we adjusted our analyses for PF, the relations
with the components of PA became nonsignificant. Using pathway analysis, we found
that peak oxygen uptake mediated 78% of the effect of average PA intensity and
93% of the effect of the hours performed at high intensity on total CVD risk
score. CONCLUSION: PA and PF are inversely associated with the clustering of
metabolic abnormalities. With regard to PA, it seems that intensity and more
specifically higher intensity is the main characteristic of PA determining its
effect on CVD RF. However, compared with PA, PF exerts greater effects on each of
these individual CVD RF and its combination.

Langue : ANGLAIS

Tiré à part : OUI