ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses several controversies that continue to plague the field and provides compelling lines of evidence that establish the strong relation between the metabolic syndrome, physical activity, and regular exercise. It presents evidence from cross-sectional studies that have consistently reported significant, inverse associations between levels of cardiorespiratory fitness or physical activity and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Physical-activity levels are poorly measured, whereas cardiorespiratory fitness is a relatively easily measured, reliable, and accurate clinical assessment that is a good surrogate for physical activity. The chapter discusses evidence of the relationship between exercise and physical activity and each of the five individual components of the metabolic syndrome. It proposes data from some key individual studies, relying more heavily on data from randomized, controlled trials. The relatively recognition of the metabolic syndrome as a clinically definable entity implies that few studies are available that address the specific effects of exercise training on the prevalence of metabolic syndrome.
