Role of Exercise in Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a primary and increasing public health problem as a result of worldwide urbanization, excessive energy intake, and increasing sedentary lifestyles. MetS is a combination of the interrelated risk factors of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. These factors are dysglycemia, dyslipidemia, elevated blood pressure, insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes, and low HDL levels. Clinical and epidemiological studies show that these factors are strongly associated with cardiovascular risk factors. The worldwide incidence of MetS varies, depending on the region, urban or rural situation, as well as the gender, age, race, and ethnicity of the population studied. Effective preventive approaches include weight loss, dietary habits with high content of industrialized foods, the use of appropriate pharmacological agents, and exercise to reduce specific risk factors of MetS. Many physicians treat each of the components of MetS separately. But instead, a solution should be found to address all these factors together. As discussed in this chapter, exercise plays a very crucial role in controlling insulin activity, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, and maintaining weight control. Various studies have proven that effective exercise provides positive results in treating MetS components. The aim of this chapter is to explain the effects of physical activity on MetS in light of current information about MetS.

Keywords: Exercise, Insulin resistance, Metabolic syndrome, Physical activity.