The relationship between physical activity, body fatness and metabolic syndrome in urban South African school teachers: The sympathetic activity and ambulatory blood pressure in Africans study

Background Globally, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) is rising because of increased levels of physical inactivity and obesity. In South Africa, information about teachers’ physical activity (PA), body fatness and MS is limited.Aim To assess the relationship between PA, body fatness and MS in urban South African teachers.Setting The study setting was in Dr Kenneth Kaunda District in the North West province of South Africa.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted using secondary data drawn from the sympathetic activity and ambulatory blood pressure in Africans (SABPA) study of 216 teachers (aged 25–65 years). Variables included anthropometry, biochemical measurements, objectively measured PA and lifestyle behaviours.Results Twenty-nine percent of the total participants were classified with MS, with 46% in men compared to 13% in women; 33% were sedentary and 67% participated in light activity. A weak significant negative relationship was found between the mean 7-day awake metabolic equivalent of tasks (METs) and triglycerides (r = −0.29; p = 0.02) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (r = −0.25; p = 0.06), activity energy expenditure (r = −0.24; p = 0.06) and PA level (r = −0.23; p = 0.07). After adjusting for age, self-reported smoking and alcohol use or consumption, a weak significant negative relationship between mean 7-day awake METs and triglycerides (r = −0.28; p