Better Option for Improving Metabolic Syndrome: Consideration of the Amount and Duration of Resistance Exercise or Physical Activity

PURPOSE: Physical activity (PA) improves the metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk. According to a recent revision of the PA guidelines for Americans (2018), healthy adults should participate in PA for >300 min/week for additional health benefits. In addition, it is recommended to participate in resistance exercise (RE) ≥2 days/week. This study aimed to determine whether increasing the PA duration or adding RE is more efficient in improving MetS.METHODS: Data from the 2016-2018 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used. The logistic regression and general linear models in the complex sample were performed with a sample of 8,662 Korean adults aged 19–65. According to the metabolic equivalent task (MET), PA intensity was categorized as low-(LP; <600 MET-min/week), moderate-(MP; 600-3,000 METmin/week), and high-level PA (HP;≥3,000 MET-min/week). Furthermore, duration was categorized as high duration (HD) and low duration (LD), while RE was categorized more 2 days/week RE (MR) and less 2 days/week RE (LR).RESULTS: Compared with LP-LR the MR groups showed a significantly low odds ratio (OR) of MetS (p<.05 respectively), whereas the LR groups had no significant OR (p>.05 respectively). Compared with LP-LD, HP-HD had significantly low OR (p<.05), whereas other groups had no significant OR (p>.05 respectively).CONCLUSIONS: Frequent RE decreases the OR of MetS and is not dependent on PA intensity. To efficiently reduce the OR of MetS in Korean adults, participating in frequent RE, rather than simply prolonging PA, is recommended; although, increasing PA duration can have positive effect in HP. In terms of the reduction of the MetS, more than 300 min/week of PA is unlikely to achieve additional health benefits.