Han Yuan1, Maeng-Kyu Kim1,2,3

1Department of Physical Education, Graduate School, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea 2Department of Physical Education, Kyungpook National University College of Education, Daegu, Korea 3Sports Science Research Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea


Background: Cigarette smoking and physical inactivity are critical risk factors for the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS). This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of MetS and its related factors in adult men based on their physical activity (PA) levels and smoking status.
Methods: In this cross-sectional analysis, 5,984 adult men aged 19-64 years were included based on the 7th Korean national health and nutrition examination survey (2016-2018). MetS was diagnosed based on the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria, and PA was categorized as light PA (LPA), moderate, and vigorous PA (VPA). We used linear and logistic regression models to analyze the association between PA, MetS, and smoking status.
Results: The prevalence of MetS in adult men was 27.8%, with the risk of MetS increasing with smoking and LPA. The risk of MetS significantly reduced by 64.7% in the VPA and quitter groups compared to that in the LPA and smoking groups (odds ratio, 0.353; 95% confidence interval, 0.232-0.539; P=0.001).
Conclusions: Our study findings suggest that VPA may be an effective means of reducing the risk of MetS in adult men, while smoking and LPA may increase the risk of MetS.
Korean J Health Promot 2023;23(2):75-84

Keywords: Metabolic syndrome, Physical activity, Smoking status, Exercise intensity