Exercise training amount and intensity effects on metabolic syndrome (from studies of a targeted risk reduction intervention through defined exercise).

Description

In order to compare whether the amount and intensity of physical activity would have similar or different benefits on the metabolic risk profile, 171 men and women who participated in the Studies of a Targeted Risk Reduction Intervention through Defined Exercise (STRRIDE) investigation were assigned to a six-month control or 1 out of 3 eight-month exercise training groups (low amount of moderate intensity exercise, low amount of vigorous exercise, and high amount of vigorous exercise). In both men and women, when changes in insulin sensitivity, metabolic syndrome status, and metabolic syndrome Z-score variations were examined, the greatest improvements were observed in the low amount of moderate intensity physical activity group and in the high amount of vigorous physical activity group. Subjects in the low amount of vigorous physical activity group barely changed their insulin sensitivity, metabolic syndrome status, and metabolic syndrome Z-score. Interestingly, the physical activity prescription time was greater in the low amount of moderate intensity physical activity group and in the high amount of vigorous physical activity group than in the low amount of vigorous physical activity group. The authors acknowledged this could be an important confounder in the relationship between physical activity prescription and the metabolic risk profile achieved. They also hypothesized that their findings might be due to the fact that subjects who were prescribed a low amount of moderate intensity physical activity were more likely to have an increased percentage of energy coming from fat oxidation, while subjects who performed vigorous physical activity were more likely to use carbohydrates instead of lipids as a fuel. These results also strengthen the current recommendations of 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most days of the week or 20 minutes of vigorous physical activity at least three times a week.