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Moderate and intense physical activity reduces the risk of developing metabolic syndrome, according to a study that enrolled 326 middle-aged and elderly women.

The women were aged, on average, 60.9 years and 43.3 per cent had metabolic syndrome (the constellation of diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia and obesity that increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and other conditions).

The authors defined moderate and high levels of physical activity as at least 600 and 1,500 metabolic equivalent of task (MET)-minutes per week: 600 MET-minutes per week is equivalent to three or more days a week of vigorous activity for at least 20 minutes or walking for at least 30 minutes per day.

After allowing for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, women with moderate or high physical activity levels were less likely to develop metabolic syndrome (90 and 89 per cent reduction).

Moderate and high levels of recorded physical activity also reduced the risk of the individual components: elevated fasting plasma glucose (by 71 and 74 per cent respectively); elevated blood pressure (82 and 68 per cent); elevated triglycerides (59 and 86 per cent); reduced high-density lipoprotein (72 and 73 per cent); and central obesity (69 and 78 per cent).