Lifestyle Intervention on Metabolic Syndrome and its Impact on Quality of Life: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND: Lifestyle intervention programs can reduce the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and, therefore, reduce the risk for cardiac disease, one of the main public health problems nowadays. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of three types of approach for lifestyle change programs in the reduction of metabolic parameters, and to identify its impact on the quality of life (QOL) of individuals with MetS. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial included 72 individuals with MetS aged 30-59 years. Individuals were randomized into three groups of multidisciplinary intervention [Standard Intervention (SI) - control group; Group Intervention (GI); and Individual Intervention (II)] during 12 weeks. The primary outcome was change in the metabolic parameters, and secondarily, the improvement in QOL measures at three moments: baseline, 3 and 9 months. RESULTS: Group and individual interventions resulted in a significant reduction in body mass index, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure at 3 months and the improvement of QOL, although it was significantly associated with the physical functioning domain. However, these changes did not remain 6 months after the end of intervention. Depression and anxiety were significantly associated with worse QOL, although they showed no effect on the response to intervention. CONCLUSION: Multidisciplinary intervention, especially in a group, might be an effective and economically feasible strategy in the control of metabolic parameters of MetS and improvement of QOL compared to SI, even in a dose-effect relationship.