This prospective study sought to examine the association of cardiorespiratory fitness with the development and resolution of metabolic syndrome in older individuals. The cohort included 1,226 men and women aged 57-78 years with a 2-year follow-up. The analysis reported an inverse association between cardiorespiratory fitness and risk of developing the metabolic syndrome. Individuals in the top tertile of baseline maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) were about 70% less likely to develop metabolic syndrome. Among individuals with metabolic syndrome at baseline, individuals in the top tertile of VO2max were 3.9 times more likely to resolve metabolic syndrome than those in the lowest tertile. Therefore, these results suggest that higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness could protect against the risk of developing metabolic syndrome and even reverse it in older individuals.
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