Physical Fitness Modulates The Relationship Between Abdominal Obesity And Metabolic Syndrome In Elderly Korean Women

PURPOSE: To investigate the moderating effect of physical fitness on the relationship between abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in elderly Korean women. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 190 community-dwelling Korean women aged ≥65 years. Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) was classified as low (low 50 percentile) or high (high 50 percentile) based on their WHR. Physical fitness was classified as low- (low 25 percentile), moderate- (middle 50 percentile), or high-fit (high 25 percentile) based on the sum of Z-scores for each SFT component (i.e., upper and lower body strength, upper and lower body flexibility, and agility). MetS was determined using the NCEP-ATP III definitions with a modified cutoff of waist circumference (>85 cm); fasting blood glucose (≥100 mg/dL or Rx), triglycerides (≥150 mg/dL or Rx), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (<50 mg/dL or Rx), and systolic blood pressure (≥130 mmHg or Rx) and/or diastolic blood pressure (≥85 mmHg or Rx). Statistical significance was tested at p = .05 using the SPSS-PC software (version 27.0). RESULTS: Logistic regression analysis showed that individuals with high WHR had a significantly higher risk of MetS (odd ratio, OR = 2.821 and 95% confidence interval, CI = 1.436-5.541, p = .003) compared to individuals with low WHR (OR = 1). High-fit individuals had a significantly lower risk of MetS (OR = 0.347 and 95% CI = 0.130-0.927, p = .035) compared to low-fit individuals (OR = 1). A moderation analysis using the Hayes Process Macro showed that physical fitness modulates the relationship between WHR and MetS risk (β = -0.511, p = .027), with higher physical fitness having less of an impact on MetS due to high WHR. CONCLUSION: The study findings suggest that high physical fitness may play an important role in combating obesity-related metabolic complications among elderly Korean women. This research was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), funded by the Ministry of Education (grant number: NRF-2022R1I1A1A01066469).