Reduction of metabolic syndrome by a lifestyle‐modification program is accompanied by improvements of aerobic fitness and plasma antioxidant markers

Abstract

Lifestyle change is an effective strategy in the primary care of metabolic syndrome (MetS). To verify the effects of a lifestyle‐modification program (LISC) on MetS and its co‐morbidities, 60 subjects (53yrs, 84% women) clinically approved to attend a 20wks intervention in the LISC “Move for Health” were submitted to weekly nutritional counseling and daily (3–5 times/wk) physical activities. Before and after intervention there were performed anthropometric, clinical, physical (with VO2max test) and laboratorial assessments including plasma analysis of total antioxidant performance (TAP), reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione, malonyldialdehyde (MDA) and C‐reactive protein (CRP). For statistical analysis we used paired‐t or signed rank tests with p<0.05 by SigmaStat 3.5 software. The reduction of MetS (47 to 40%) was followed by reductions in waist circumference (97±16 to 94±14cm) and elevations in plasma HDLC levels (47±12 to 49±12mg/dL). VO2max increased (30±5 to 33±5.2mL/kg/min) as well as plasma TAP (50±9 to 52±9%), reduced GSH (5.9±1.9 to 6.9±1.9μmol/L) with a decrease of GSSG/GSH ratio (0.13[0.08–0.17] to 0.10[0.07–0.13]). No differences in insulin resistance (fasting glucose and HOMA‐IR), inflammatory (CRP) and pro‐oxidant markers (MDA and GSSG) were observed. This LISC was effective in lowering MetS probably secondary to raising either cardiorespiratory fitness and/or antioxidant potential.Supported by CAPES, CNPq