Reduced flexibility associated with metabolic syndrome in community-dwelling elders

Ke-Vin Chang; Chen-Yu Hung; Chia-Ming Li; Yu-Hung Lin; Tyng-Guey Wang; Keh-Sung Tsai; Der-Sheng Han

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0117167

Reduced flexibility associated with metabolic syndrome in community-dwelling elders

PLoS One. 2015 Jan 23;10(1):e0117167. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117167. eCollection 2015.

Authors

Ke-Vin Chang¹, Chen-Yu Hung², Chia-Ming Li³, Yu-Hung Lin⁴, Tyng-Guey Wang⁵, Keh-Sung Tsai⁶, Der-Sheng Han¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, Bei-Hu Branch and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
² Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, Chu-Tung Branch, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
³ Department of Family Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Bei-Hu Branch and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁴ Department of Social Work, National Taiwan University Hospital, Bei-Hu Branch, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁵ Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁶ Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Bei-Hu Branch and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.

Abstract

Background: The ageing process may lead to reductions in physical fitness, a known risk factor in the development of metabolic syndrome. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate cross-sectional and combined associations of metabolic syndrome with body composition and physical fitness in a community based geriatric population.

Methods: A total of 628 community-dwelling elders attending a geriatric health examination were enrolled in the study. The diagnosis of metabolic syndrome was based on the modified National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) criterion with Asian cutoff of waist girth was adopted in this study. Body composition was obtained using bioimpedance analysis, and physical fitness was evaluated through the measurement of muscle strength (handgrip force), lower extremity muscle endurance (sit-to-stand test), flexibility (sit-and-reach test), and cardiorespiratory endurance (2-minute step test). Multivariable logistic regression and correlation analysis were performed to determine the association of metabolic syndrome with body composition and functionality variables.

Results: Metabolic syndrome was associated with increased skeletal muscle index (SMI) (odds ratio (OR), 1.61, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.25-2.07) and decreased flexibility (OR, 0.97, 95% CI, 0.95-0.99) compared with those without metabolic syndrome. When body mass index was accounted for in the analysis, the association of SMI with metabolic syndrome was reduced. Waist circumference was positively correlated with SMI but negatively correlated with flexibility, whereas high density lipoprotein was positively correlated with flexibility but negatively correlated with SMI.

Conclusion: Reduced flexibility was positively associated with metabolic syndrome independent of age, gender, body composition, and functionality measurements in a community based geriatric population. Significant associations between metabolic syndrome with muscle strength and cardiorespiratory fitness in the elderly were not observed. Furthermore, flexibility should be included in the complete evaluation for metabolic syndrome.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Body Composition
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Humans
Male
Metabolic Syndrome / physiopathology*
Multivariate Analysis
Physical Fitness / physiology*
Range of Motion, Articular / physiology*
Risk Factors

Grants and funding

This research was supported by grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST103-2314-B-002-010) and National Taiwan University Hospital (101-S1919). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.