Association of Aerobic Fitness and Metabolic Syndrome in Male Firefighters. Durcan, C.M.*, S.E. Martin‡, B.S. Lambert†, N.P. Greene†, J.M. Markos†, A.F. Carbuhn†, J.S. Green‡, FACSM and S.F. Crouse‡, FACSM. Department of Health and Kinesiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX. Metabolic syndrome has been shown in numerous studies to be related to a higher incidence of coronary artery disease. A study by R. Jurca et.al., in Med. Sci. Sports Exerc 36(38), found a relationship between aerobic fitness and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in a group of men enrolled in the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study. Information on this relationship in male firefighters is currently lacking. Purpose: To determine the association of metabolic syndrome and aerobic fitness in male fire fighters. Methods: As part of an annual physical exam, 213 male fire fighters (average age = 37) underwent evaluation of risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome as defined by NCEP III. These include the presence of three or more of the following: Waist circumference \u3e 40 , HDL Cholesterol \u3c 40 mg/dL, Triglycerides \u3e 150 mg/dL, Blood Glucose \u3e 110 mg/dL, and resting blood pressure \u3e 130/85 mm Hg. Aerobic Fitness was determined by estimating VO2max from time on treadmill during a Bruce protocol. Results: The subjects were ranked and divided into quartiles based on VO2max. All data were analyzed using a Chi Square test (p \u3c .05). Prevalence of metabolic syndrome increased significantly across quartiles as aerobic fitness declined. Conclusion: The data suggest that as aerobic fitness improves, the likelihood of male firefighters having metabolic syndrome decreases. These data are similar to the results found by R. Jurca et.al
