Long-term detraining increases the risk of metabolic syndrome in Japanese men

The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of long-term detraining on metabolic syndrome (MetS).

1109 Japanese men were categorized by their exercise habits. Clinical data, number of MetS risk factors, and differences in lifestyle-related behaviors of the non-training group (n = 233) and the detraining group (n = 483) were compared with those of the training group (n = 87).

Waist circumference and body mass index were significantly higher in the non-training group and the detraining group than in the training group, and also higher in the detraining group than in the non-training group. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was lower and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was higher in the non-training group and the detraining group than in the training group. Both the non-training group and the detraining group had more MetS risk factors than the training group. The odds ratio for smoking was higher in the detraining group than in the training group.

Detraining results in similar degrees of obesity, low HDL-C, high LDL-C, and high MetS risk as non-training. To prevent lifestyle-related diseases, it is particularly important not only to encourage adults to become physically active, but also discourage active young people from discontinuing physical exercise.