Public Health
Volume 121, Issue 2 , Pages 83-91, February 2007

Associations between the metabolic syndrome and its components, watching television and physical activity

  • Chia-Lin Li

      Affiliations

    • Department of Health Care Management and Healthcare Databank Laboratory, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Department of Health Care Management, Chang Gung University, Kweishan, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan. Tel.: +88632118800 x 5666; fax: +88632118345.
    • ,
  • Jen-Der Lin

      Affiliations

    • Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Shwn-Jen Lee

      Affiliations

    • Faculty and Institute of Physical Therapy, National Yang-Ming University, Shih-Pai, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Rou-Fang Tseng

      Affiliations

    • Department of Health Care Management and Healthcare Databank Laboratory, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan

Received 30 August 2005; received in revised form 22 June 2006; accepted 4 August 2006.

Summary 

Objective

To examine the associations between watching television and physical activity with the metabolic syndrome and its components.

Study design

Cross-sectional study.

Methods

This study was conducted among 358 subjects recruited from the Department of Health Management of Chang Gung Medical Centre in Linkou. After adjustment for gender, age and body mass index (BMI), the odds ratios (ORs) of the metabolic syndrome and its components were analysed for relative daily energy expenditure groups and time spent watching television categories.

Results

After adjustment for gender, age and BMI, the OR of the metabolic syndrome in the most active subjects compared with the least active subjects was 0.27 [95% confidence interval (CI)=0.08–0.88; P=0.030]. There was inconclusive evidence of an association between watching television for more than 20h/week and presence of the metabolic syndrome (OR=2.99; 95% CI=0.83–10.84; P=0.095).

Conclusions

Physical activity was a significant protective factor for presence of the metabolic syndrome and low levels of high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol. Watching television was positively associated with greater odds of high levels of triglycerides and fasting glucose. This study emphasized the importance of reducing the time spent watching television and increasing the level of physical activity for prevention of the metabolic syndrome.

Keywords: Metabolic syndrome, Watching television, Physical activity, Taiwan

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PII: S0033-3506(06)00220-4

doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2006.08.004

Public Health
Volume 121, Issue 2 , Pages 83-91, February 2007

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