Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome and Its Components Among Chinese Professional Athletes of Strength Sports with Different Body Weight Categories

Overview

Journal PLoS One

Specialties General Medicine
Science

Date 2013 Nov 21

PMID 24255714

Citations 12

Authors

Jianjun Guo

Xi Zhang

Ling Wang

Yan Guo

Minhao Xie

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: There is an increasing concern on cardiometabolic health in young professional athletes at heavy-weight class.

Objective: Our cross-sectional survey aimed to evaluate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and clustering of metabolic risk factors in a population of young and active professional athletes of strength sports in China.

Methods: From July 2006 to December 2008, a total of 131 male and 130 female athletes of strength sports were enrolled. We used two criteria provided by the Chinese Diabetes Society (2004) and the National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel III (2002) to define the metabolic syndrome and its individual components, respectively.

Results: Regardless of their similar ages (mean: 21 years) and exercise levels, athletes in the heaviest-weight-class with unlimited maximum body weight (UBW) boundaries (mean weight and BMI: 130 kg and 38 kg/m(2) for men, 110 kg and 37 kg/m(2) for women) had significantly higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome than did those in all other body-weight-class with limited body weight (LBW) boundaries (mean weight and BMI: 105 kg and 32 kg/m(2) for men, 70 kg and 26 kg/m(2) for women). Prevalence of metabolic syndrome using CDS criteria (UBW vs. LBW: 89% vs. 18% for men, 47% vs. 0% for women) and its individual components, including central obesity, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, low high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels, and impaired fasting glucose, were all significantly higher in athletes at the heaviest weight group with UBW than all other weight groups with LBW.

Conclusions: Our study suggests that professional athletes of strength sports at the heaviest-weight-class are at a significant increased risk of cardiometabolic disease compared with those at all other weight categories. The findings support the importance of developing and implementing the strategy of early screening, awareness, and interventions for weight-related health among young athletes.

Citing Articles

Abdominal volume index is associated with higher oxidized LDL, high blood pressure and lower HDL among obese adults.

Alanazi M, Alshehri K, Alerwy F, Alrasheed T, Lahza H, Aref Albezrah N BMC Endocr Disord. 2025; 25(1):56.

PMID: 40016702 PMC: 11869561. DOI: 10.1186/s12902-025-01884-6.

Plant-Based Dietary Protein Is Associated with Lower Metabolic Syndrome Risk in Division III Female Athletes: A Pilot Study.

Kotarsky C, Frenett M, Hoerle W, Kim J, Lockwood J, Cryer L Nutrients. 2024; 16(20).

PMID: 39458481 PMC: 11510158. DOI: 10.3390/nu16203486.

Mitigating Traumatic Brain Injury: A Narrative Review of Supplementation and Dietary Protocols.

Conti F, McCue J, DiTuro P, Galpin A, Wood T Nutrients. 2024; 16(15).

PMID: 39125311 PMC: 11314487. DOI: 10.3390/nu16152430.

Physiological Responses to Combat Sports in Metabolic Diseases: A Systematic Review.

Eckstein M, Schwarzinger M, Haupt S, Wachsmuth N, Zimmer R, Sourij H J Clin Med. 2022; 11(4).

PMID: 35207343 PMC: 8878771. DOI: 10.3390/jcm11041070.

The Female Athlete's Heart: Overview and Management of Cardiovascular Diseases.

Castelletti S, Gati S Eur Cardiol. 2021; 16:e47.

PMID: 34950243 PMC: 8674625. DOI: 10.15420/ecr.2021.29.

References

Cui H, Wang S, Wang D, Cui C, Chen X, Chen X . Modified classic risk factors for coronary artery disease in Chinese Han population. Chin Med Sci J. 2008; 22(4):216-23. View

Kujala U, Kaprio J, Taimela S, Sarna S . Prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, and ischemic heart disease in former elite athletes. Metabolism. 1994; 43(10):1255-60. DOI: 10.1016/0026-0495(94)90219-4. View

Miller M, Croft L, Belanger A, Romero-Corral A, Somers V, Roberts A . Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in retired National Football League players. Am J Cardiol. 2008; 101(9):1281-4. DOI: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2007.12.029. View

Batista C, M Soares J . Are former elite athletes more protected against metabolic syndrome?. J Cardiol. 2013; 61(6):440-5. DOI: 10.1016/j.jjcc.2013.01.011. View

Vogel R, Corretti M, Plotnick G . Effect of a single high-fat meal on endothelial function in healthy subjects. Am J Cardiol. 1997; 79(3):350-4. DOI: 10.1016/s0002-9149(96)00760-6. View

Tucker A, Vogel R, Lincoln A, Dunn R, Ahrensfield D, Allen T . Prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors among National Football League players. JAMA. 2009; 301(20):2111-9. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2009.716. View

Kyle J, Walker R, Riales R, Petty G, Thomas J, Roberts M . Student athlete cholesterol screening during routine precompetition examination. J Fam Pract. 1991; 33(2):172-6. View

Buell J, Calland D, Hanks F, Johnston B, Pester B, Sweeney R . Presence of metabolic syndrome in football linemen. J Athl Train. 2008; 43(6):608-16. PMC: 2582553. DOI: 10.4085/1062-6050-43.6.608. View

Karamanos B, Thanopoulou A . Maximal post-prandial triglyceride increase reflects post-prandial hypertriglyceridaemia and is associated with the insulin resistance syndrome. Diabet Med. 2001; 18(1):32-9. DOI: 10.1046/j.1464-5491.2001.00386.x. View

10.

Malina R, Morano P, Barron M, Miller S, Cumming S, Kontos A . Overweight and obesity among youth participants in American football. J Pediatr. 2007; 151(4):378-82. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2007.03.044. View

11.

Li L, Rao K, Kong L, Yao C, Xiang H, Zhai F . [A description on the Chinese national nutrition and health survey in 2002]. Zhonghua Liu Xing Bing Xue Za Zhi. 2005; 26(7):478-84. View

12.

Borchers J, Clem K, Habash D, Nagaraja H, Stokley L, Best T . Metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance in Division 1 collegiate football players. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009; 41(12):2105-10. PMC: 3872996. DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181abdfec. View

13.

Nguyen T, Adair L, Suchindran C, He K, Popkin B . The association between body mass index and hypertension is different between East and Southeast Asians. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009; 89(6):1905-12. PMC: 2714374. DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.2008.26809. View

14.

Patsch J, Karlin J, Scott L, Smith L, Gotto Jr A . Inverse relationship between blood levels of high density lipoprotein subfraction 2 and magnitude of postprandial lipemia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1983; 80(5):1449-53. PMC: 393615. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.80.5.1449. View

15.

. Executive Summary of The Third Report of The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, And Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol In Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III). JAMA. 2001; 285(19):2486-97. DOI: 10.1001/jama.285.19.2486. View

16.

Wilkerson G, Bullard J, Bartal D . Identification of cardiometabolic risk among collegiate football players. J Athl Train. 2010; 45(1):67-74. PMC: 2808758. DOI: 10.4085/1062-6050-45.1.67. View

17.

Chen C, Lu F . The guidelines for prevention and control of overweight and obesity in Chinese adults. Biomed Environ Sci. 2005; 17 Suppl:1-36. View

18.

Berge H, Andersen T, Solberg E, Steine K . High ambulatory blood pressure in male professional football players. Br J Sports Med. 2013; 47(8):521-5. DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2013-092354. View