Korean J Sports Med.  2024 Jun;42(2):126-135. 10.5763/kjsm.2024.42.2.126.

Associations of Step Volume and Intensity with Metabolic Syndrome among Korean Adults: A Cross-sectional Observational Study

• Kim YS
• Kim G
• Sung H
• Kim BC
• Ryu JK
• Hahn S

• KMID: 2556278
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5763/kjsm.2024.42.2.126

Abstract

Purpose
This study was performed to investigate the association between step volume and intensity with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in Korean adults.
Methods
The study analyzed 2,038 adults from the 2014 to 2017 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, defining MS based on waist circumference, blood pressure, triglycerides, glucose, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterols. Step volume and intensity were calculated using average number of steps per day and peak 30-minute cadence, respectively. Logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of MS by tertiles of step volume and intensity. A joint analysis was conducted to examine the combined association between step volume and intensity with the prevalence of MS. We divided the participants into nine groups according to their step volume (tertiles) and intensity (tertiles).
Results
There were 478 MS cases. Compared to the lowest tertile of volume, the ORs of MS were 1.06 (95% CI, 0.79–1.42) and 0.64 (95% CI, 0.47–0.88) in the middle and highest tertile of volume. Compared to the lowest tertile of intensity, the ORs were 1.02 (95% CI, 0.76–1.36) and 0.74 (95% CI, 0.55–1.01) in the middle and highest tertile of intensity. In the joint analysis, compared to the group with both lowest volume and intensity, the ORs were significantly lower in all groups with the highest volume, except the group with the lowest intensity.
Conclusion
Although only greater step volume, not intensity, was independently related to MS, both step volume and intensity appear to be important for preventing MS.

Keyword

Walking; Exercise; Cardiometabolic risk factors

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Joint associations between step volume and intensity with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Korean adults. OR: odds ratio, CI: confedince interval.

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