Effect of Walking Steps Measured by a Wearable Activity Tracker on Improving Components of Metabolic Syndrome: A Prospective Study

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health 2022-04, Vol.19 (9), p.5433
• Main Authors: Park, Jae-Min, Choi, Ja-Eun, Lee, Hye Sun, Jeon, Soyoung, Lee, Ji-Won, Hong, Kyung-Won
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Blood pressure; Body mass index; Compliance; Confidence intervals; Exercise; Fitness Trackers; Heart rate; Humans; Lifestyles; Metabolic disorders; Metabolic Syndrome; Obesity; Physical fitness; Prospective Studies; Public health; Regression analysis; Review boards; Sleep; Statistical analysis; Triglycerides; Variables; Waist Circumference; Walking; Wrist
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19095433

We compared the improvement in components of metabolic syndrome (MS) before and after lifestyle modification, as determined by daily step counts (on a wrist-worn Fitbit®) in participants with and without MS recruited from volunteers attending medical health checkup programs. A linear mixed model was used to analyze the change in MS components between participants with and without MS by group × time interaction. Multiple logistic regression analysis after adjustment for confounders was used to obtain odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for improvements in MS components per 1000-steps/day increments. Waist circumference, triglycerides, fasting plasma glucose, and diastolic blood pressure were significantly different between participants with and without MS (group × time: p = 0.010, p < 0.001, p = 0.025, and p = 0.010, respectively). Multivariable-adjusted ORs (95% CI) of improvement in MS components per 1000-steps/day increments were 1.24 (1.01−1.53) in participants with and 1.14 (0.93−1.40) in participants without MS. Walking improved MS components more in individuals with than without MS. From a public health perspective, walking should be encouraged for high-risk MS individuals.