Objective: To analyze the associations between changes in the level of leisure-time physical activity in adults and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome.
Methods: This is a population-based study conducted with 818 adults aged 20 years or older from Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil, between 2009 and 2014. We tested the association of maintenance and/or changes in the level of physical activity with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome, adjusted for sociodemographic variables (gender, age, schooling, income, marital status, and ethnicity) and smoking habits. We used logistic regression and estimated the odds ratios (OR) and their respective confidence intervals (95%CI).
Results: The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 30.9% (95%CI 27.2-34.7). Regardless of adjustment variables, adults who ceased to be active and/or remained physically inactive during leisure time in the study period presented, respectively, 108 and 124% higher odds of developing metabolic syndrome (OR=2.08; 95%CI 1.30-3.33 and OR=2.24; 95%CI 1.38-3.65). Women and individuals younger than 45 years showed lower odds of having metabolic syndrome.
Conclusions: This sample presented a significant association between remaining or becoming inactive and a greater chance of developing metabolic syndrome.