Which is more important for reducing the odds of metabolic syndrome in men: Cardiorespiratory or muscular fitness?

Abstract

Objective To examine combined associations of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and muscular fitness (MF) with metabolic syndrome (MetSy) in a sample of young men. Methods Participants were 557 men aged 19-47 years. CRF was quantified as peak oxygen uptake measured during an incremental treadmill test by a metabolic cart, while a composite MF score was calculated as the sum of z-scores from a push-ups and sit-ups test. The presence of MetSy was defined according to the updated NCEP-ATP III criteria. Results We found a graded inverse relationship between CRF and MetSy presence. The most aerobically fit individuals had 90% lower odds of having MetSy compared to their least fit counterparts, independent of MF (odds ratio [OR] = 0.10, 95% CI = 0.04-0.21). Conversely, an increment in MF across the first three quartiles was not associated with lower odds of MetSy; only the most muscularly fit men were 2.5 times less likely to have MetSy (OR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.21-0.78). Finally, participants with high CRF but low MF exhibited a 50% decrease in odds of having MetSy (OR = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.26-0.91), while no protective effect was found for having high MF but low CRF (OR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.55-1.62). Conclusions CRF exhibited a strong protective effect against having MetSy, while the effect of MF was less pronounced.