There is a correlation between physical activity, depression and metabolic syndrome.
Metabolic syndrome is a name for a group of conditions, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure and extra weight around the middle part of the body, which occur together and increase the risk of coronary disease, stroke, and Type 2 diabetes.
Women get an average of just 18 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise a day, compared to 30 minutes for men, resulting in greater odds of developing ‘metabolic syndrome’.
The study, now online in the journal Preventive Medicine, was conducted at Oregon State University (OSU) by Paul Loprinzi and Bradley Cardinal, professor of social psychology of physical activity.
Looking at more than 1,000 men and women from a nationally represented sample, the researchers found that women were getting only about 18 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise daily, compared to men who, on average, were getting 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise daily.
“The results indicate that regular physical activity participation was associated with positive health outcomes for both men and women; however, there was a greater strength of association for women,” Loprinzi said.
“Those who get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day are less likely to be depressed, less likely to have high cholesterol and less likely to have metabolic syndrome,” Loprinzi said.
Loprinzi is now an assistant professor of exercise science at Bellarmine University. He conducted the research when he was a student in Cardinal’s lab at OSU.
