Adapting to a Healthy Lifestyle Improves Metabolic Syndrome
A recently independent clinical study conducted at the University of Colorado Denver (UCD) confirmed that lifestyle change involving diet, supplementation and exercise, can improve the metabolic syndrome. This study will be fully published later this year, however initial results form the study are promising.
Metabolic syndrome is a pre-diabetic state that involves multiple symptoms including central obesity, insulin resistance, elevated blood lipids, elevated blood glucose, and high blood pressure. The results of the UCD independent study verified findings from an earlier study conducted by USANA in 2005. Both clinical trials employed a lifestyle program that included exercise, nutritional supplements, and a low-glycemic diet.
53 out of 60 participants completed the UCD study, and lost an average of 12 pounds (5.4 Kg) over a 12-week lifestyle modification program. Even more dramatic, however, were the significant improvements in measures of glycemic control, cardiovascular health, inflammation, and antioxidant status. On average, participants who completed the study achieved considerable reduction in insulin resistance, blood pressure, cholesterol level, triglyceride level, and oxidative stress. All of these changes are consistent with improvements to markers of metabolic syndrome and with significant improvements in cardiovascular and metabolic health.
Holly Wyatt, a physician and faculty member of the University of Colorado's Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, oversaw the university study. "This is a very promising program that produced some very positive changes in the cardiovascular risk factors associated with the metabolic syndrome," Dr. Wyatt said. "The shifts in dietary habits to calorically restricted low-glycemic meals and the modest increases in physical activity were not only effective but also are realistic behavioural changes many people can make."