Negative Association of Domestic Activity and Active Commuting with Metabolic Syndrome in a Chinese Population Aged 35-64 Years

Abstract

Objective: To understand the associations of physical activity domains with metabolic syndrome among a middle-aged Chinese population.

Methods: In all, 3326 professional adults aged 35-64 years from Beijing and Zhejiang province were recruited with a cluster random sampling method. The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire was modified, and the recommended Asia-Pacific cut-offs of waist circumstance were introduced into the criteria for metabolic syndrome from the Adult Treatment Panel III. A binary logistic regression model was applied to examine the association of all physical activity domains with the risk of the syndrome.

Results: Participants who engaged in domestic activity for ⋜1176 MET-min/week had a 41.6% less chance of having metabolic syndrome [odds ratio (OR), 0.584; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.480-0.710] than those without this activity. In adjusted models, adults who actively commuted for ⋜33 MET-min/week but <528 MET-min/week had a 25% less chance of having the syndrome (OR, 0.750; 95% CI, 0.582-0.966) than those who did not. No interaction was detected between the two domains of activity and the syndrome.

Conclusion: This study highlighted the independently negative association of traffic and house activity with the prevalence of the syndrome in this sample with a generally low level of moderate activity.

Keywords: Activities of daily living; Metabolic syndrome X; Physical activity.