Impact of Longitudinal Diet and Physical Activity Patterns on Metabolic Syndrome: Findings from an Epidemiological Study
Keywords:
Metabolic syndrome, dietary patterns, physical activity, longitudinal studies, epidemiology, prevention, Mediterranean dietAbstract
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) represents a
cluster of metabolic abnormalities that
significantly increase cardiovascular disease
risk and type 2 diabetes mellitus. This
systematic review and meta-analysis
examines longitudinal associations between
dietary patterns, physical activity levels, and
MetS prevention across multiple
epidemiological cohorts. We conducted a
comprehensive literature search of PubMed,
Embase, and Web of Science databases from
inception to December 2024, identifying 47
longitudinal studies encompassing 892,456
participants with follow-up periods ranging
from 3 to 25 years. Our analysis reveals that
adherence to Mediterranean dietary patterns
combined with moderate-to-vigorous
physical activity (≥150 minutes/week)
demonstrates the strongest protective
association against MetS development
(pooled hazard ratio: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.55-
0.71). Western dietary patterns characterized
by high processed food consumption showed
positive associations with MetS risk (HR:
1.38, 95% CI: 1.24-1.54), while plant-based
dietary patterns exhibited protective effects
(HR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.68-0.81). Physical
activity intensity emerged as a crucial
modifier, with vigorous activity showing
superior protective effects compared to
moderate activity. Significant heterogeneity
was observed across studies (I² = 68%),
primarily attributed to differences in MetS
diagnostic criteria, dietary assessment
methods, and population characteristics.
These findings underscore the critical
importance of integrated lifestyle
interventions combining optimal dietary
patterns with adequate physical activity for
MetS prevention, providing evidence-based recommendations for public health policy
and clinical practice guidelines.
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