Cardiorespiratory fitness, macronutrient intake, and the metabolic syndrome: the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study.

Objective: This study examines the cross-sectional associations between cardiorespiratory fitness and the metabolic syndrome with adjustment for macronutrient intake from 3-day dietary records.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Subjects/setting: Women and men who had a comprehensive medical examination, including a symptom-limited maximal treadmill exercise test, and completed 3-day dietary records at the Cooper Clinic, Dallas, TX.

Main Outcome Measures: Metabolic syndrome as defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria.

Statistical Analyses Performed: Analysis of variance was used to examine differences in continuous data. General linear analysis was used to examine linear trends. Mantel-Haenszel chi(2) analyses were used to examine differences in categorical data. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals.

Results: After adjusting for sex and age, cardiorespiratory fitness was inversely associated with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (P<0.001). Adjustment for macronutrient intake and other potential confounding variables did not alter the association between cardiorespiratory fitness and prevalent metabolic syndrome.

Conclusions: Cardiorespiratory fitness is inversely associated with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Patients should be encouraged to increase their physical activity to decrease their risk for metabolic syndrome and coronary heart disease.