Effect of Lifestyle Intervention on the Occurrence of Metabolic Syndrome and its Components in the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this secondary analysis of the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study was to assess the effects of lifestyle intervention on metabolic syndrome and its components. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 522 middle-aged overweight men and women with impaired glucose tolerance were randomized into an individualized lifestyle intervention group or a standard care control group. National Cholesterol Education Program criteria were used for the definition of metabolic syndrome. RESULTS: At the end of the study, with a mean follow-up of 3.9 years, we found a significant reduction in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the intervention group compared with the control group (odds ratio [OR] 0.62 [95% CI 0.40-0.95]) and in the prevalence of abdominal obesity (0.48 [0.28-0.81]). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that lifestyle intervention may also reduce risk of cardiovascular disease in the long run.