The aim of this study was to compare the associations between abdominal obesity (waist circumference), cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and metabolic syndrome between US adolescents and adults. The study sample included 2,197 adults (age=33.8±0.3 years, range: 20-49 years) and 3,223 adolescents (age=15.5±0.1 years, range: 12-19 years) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2004 (NHANES). Results showed that both waist circumference and CRF were independently associated with prevalent metabolic syndrome in adolescents and adults. However, the association between waist circumference and metabolic syndrome was notably stronger than the association observed between CRF and metabolic syndrome. In adolescents and adults, those with a high waist circumference had a higher odds ratio for metabolic syndrome as compared to those with a low waist circumference regardless of CRF. However, the protective effect of CRF on the metabolic syndrome was only significant in adolescents and adults with low waist circumference. Thus, these results suggest that abdominal obesity is more strongly associated with metabolic syndrome than CRF but that both waist circumference and CRF must be targeted to limit the development of metabolic syndrome in adolescents and adults.
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