Gentle Exercise of 40 Minutes with Dietary Counseling is Effective in Treating Metabolic Syndrome

Gentle Exercise of 40 Minutes with Dietary Counseling is Effective in Treating Metabolic Syndrome

TAKAHIRO MITSUI,¹ KIYOSHI SHIMAOKA,² SHIGEKI TSUZUKU,³ TAEKO KAJIOKA⁴ and HISATAKA SAKAKIBARA⁵

¹Faculty of Human Health, Hachinohe University
²Research Center of Health, Physical Fitness and Sports, Nagoya University
³Department of Public Health, Kochi Medical School
⁴School of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo
⁵Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Nagoya University

Obese people may succeed in reducing their weight temporarily, but most of them regain the lost weight within a few years. We, therefore, recommend moderate long-term changes in habit rather than a strict temporary program. The purpose of this study was to examine whether physical activity of 40 minutes, mainly walking, was effective in improving or preventing metabolic syndrome when combined with dieting. Participants, all of whom had a waist circumference ≥ 85 cm (men) or ≥ 90 cm (women), were assigned into one of two groups: the control group (10 men and 11 women, age: 64.2 ± 3.4 [SD] years) and the intervention group (10 men and 12 women, age: 62.4 ± 4.2 years). Participants (n = 22) enrolled in a 52-week program; their diets were assessed using a 3-day dietary record and daily steps were measured with a pedometer. No significant change was seen in their dietary records, but the mean number of daily steps increased from 5,806 to 8,000-9,000. In the intervention group, BMI, waist circumference, and systolic and diastolic blood pressures decreased significantly by week 12 (all p < 0.001) and remained low until week 52. In fact, no significant change was seen between weeks 12 and 52. The control group showed no significant changes in all variables. These results indicate that gentle exercise of about 40 minutes in combination with dieting is effective in preventing metabolic syndrome among a sedentary population, although its effect may be limited.

keywords —— metabolic syndrome; self-training program; pedometer.

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Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2008, 215, 355-361

Correspondence: Kiyoshi Shimaoka, Research Center of Health, Physical Fitness and Sports, Nagoya University, Furocho, Chikusaku, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan.

e-mail: kshima@htc.nagoya-u.ac.jp