Prevalence Of Meeting Daily Step Count Recommendations In Older Adults With And Without Metabolic Syndrome

PURPOSE: We compared the prevalence of older adults with and without metabolic syndrome (MetS) who met the recommendations of walking more than 7,000 and 10,000 steps/d, and we determined whether MetS status was significantly associated with meeting the daily step count recommendations before and after adjusting for demographic variables, comorbid conditions, and cardiovascular risk factors. METHODS: Older adults with MetS (n = 489) and without MetS (n = 154) were assessed on their walking for seven consecutive days with a StepWatch activity monitor. RESULTS: The MetS group took significantly fewer steps/d than the non-MetS control group (7307 ± 3625 vs. 8933 ± 4487 steps/d; P < .001). Only 47% and 21% of the MetS group walked ≥7,000 and 10,000 steps/d, respectively, whereas 68% and 34% of the control group met these recommendations (P < .001 and p = .002, respectively). The odds of walking 7,000 steps/d was 52% lower in the MetS group (OR = 0.48, 95%CI = 0.29-0.77, P = .003), and the odds of walking 10,000 steps/d was a 37% lower trend (OR = 0.63, 95%CI = 0.39-1.04, P = .069). Additionally, the odds of walking 7,000 and 10,000 steps/d was lower in participants with reduced HDL-cholesterol (OR = 0.35, 95%CI = 0.21-0.60, P < 0.001 and OR = 0.45, 95%CI = 0.25-0.80, P = 0.007, respectively) and abdominal obesity (OR = 0.52, 95%CI = 0.37-0.74, P < 0.001 and OR = 0.45, 95%CI = 0.30-0.68, P < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In this case-control study of older adults, participants with MetS had an 18% lower daily step count compared to those without MetS, and were less likely to meet the 7,000 and 10,000 steps/d recommendations. Additionally, participants who were least likely to meet the daily step count recommendations included those who had reduced HDL-cholesterol and abdominal obesity.