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Association between leisure time physical activity and metabolic syndrome: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies

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Abstract

A great number of prospective studies have investigated the relationship between leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk. However, the results have been inconsistent. The aim of this study was to clarify the relationship between LTPA and MetS risk. Literature databases were searched including PubMed and Embase up to June 2013. A total of 17 studies, including 64,353 participants and 11,271 incident cases, were included in the meta-analysis. A high level of LTPA was statistically associated with decreased risk of MetS [high vs. low: relative risk (RR) = 0.80, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.75–0.85], whereas a moderate level of LTPA was weakly associated with decreased risk of MetS (moderate vs. low: RR = 0.95, 95 % CI 0.91–1.00). Subgroup analyses indicated that the association between a moderate level of LTPA and decreased risk of MetS was only significant in men (moderate vs. low: RR = 0.88, 95 % CI 0.81–0.97) and in studies with more than a 10-year follow-up period (moderate vs. low: RR = 0.90, 95 % CI 0.84–0.97). A high level of LTPA was statistically associated with decreased risk of MetS in each subgroup. A higher level of LTPA is associated with a lower risk of MetS. These findings could have public health implications with regard to prevention of MetS through lifestyle interventions.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China (20120131120004). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Maternal and Child Health Care, School of Public Health, Shandong University, 44 Wenhuaxi Road, Jinan, 250012, People’s Republic of China

    Dan He, Bo Xi, Jian Xue, Min Zhang & Jun Li

  2. Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China

    Pengcheng Huai

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  1. Dan He
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Correspondence to Bo Xi or Jun Li.

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Dan He and Bo Xi have contributed equally to this work.

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He, D., Xi, B., Xue, J. et al. Association between leisure time physical activity and metabolic syndrome: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Endocrine 46, 231–240 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-013-0110-0

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