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Intern Emerg Med (2013) 8:655666 DOI 10.1007/s11739-013-0953-7
IM - REVIEW
Physical activity for the prevention and treatment of metabolic disorders
Luca Montesi Simona Moscatiello
Marcella Malavolti Rebecca Marzocchi
Giulio Marchesini
Received: 12 January 2013 / Accepted: 23 April 2013 / Published online: 9 May 2013 SIMI 2013
Abstract Metabolic syndrome and its various features (obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease) are increasing worldwide and constitute a severe risk for the sustainability of the present universal Italian health care system. Lifestyle interventions should be the rst therapeutic strategy to prevent/treat metabolic diseases, far before pharmacologic treatment. The role of diet and weight loss has been fully ascertained, whereas the role of physical activity is frequently overlooked both by physicians and by patients. Physical activity has favorable effects on all components of the metabolic syndrome and on the resulting cardiovascular risk, the cornerstone in the development of cardiometabolic diseases. The quantity and the frequency of physical activity necessary to produce benecial effects has not been dened as yet, but brisk walking is considered particularly appropriate, as it can be practiced by a large number of individuals, without any additional cost, and has a low rate of injury. The effects of exercise and leisure time physical activity extend from prevention to treatment of the various components of the metabolic syndrome, as well as to mood and quality of life. Any effort should be done to favor
adherence to protocols of physical activity in the community.
Keywords Diet Exercise Lifestyle Metabolic
syndrome Physical activity
Introduction
The epidemic of metabolic disorders, driven by obesity, constitutes a challenge for health systems worldwide. Several factors are contributing to the increasing prevalence of the various features of the metabolic syndrome (hypertension, dyslipidemia, and type 2 diabetes). Diet and lifestyle have a major role, coupled with genetics. Positive economic developments and better healthcare, favoring population aging, are expected to increase costs to levels no longer sustainable both in Western and in developing countries. For the hundreds of millions worldwide who have the metabolic syndrome, lifestyle modication is the most appealing approach because of its non-toxicity and high efcacy, compared with medications, and physical activity (PA) is a fundamental component.
It is outside the scope of the present review to discuss the...