This study investigated 1) the association of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), muscle strength, and physical activity with metabolic syndrome risk score (MS-score), 2) the relation between the reference values established by “Exercise and Physical Activity Reference for Health Promotion 2006 (EPAR2006)” and MS-score.
　Japanese adults, (139 men and 129 women) aged 20-69 participated in this study. Maximal oxygen uptake was measured as CRF, directly during a cycle ergometry test. Muscular strength was evaluated by measuring of handgrip strength (HGS)．Both CRF and HGS were calculated on the basis of body weight. Self reported physical activity (PA) with intensity of 3 METs or higher was expressed as METs・h/week. MS-score was counted by the number of MS risk factors (abdominal obesity, raised blood pressure, lipid abnormality, and raised fasting plasma glucose), according to the diagnostic criterion for Japanese-specific MS.
　In the case of adjustment for age, logistic regression models revealed that MS-score was inversely correlated with CRF and HGS in men and women (P＜0.05), and inversely correlated with PA in only women (P＜0.05). Then, subjects were classified into the three groups by CRF levels based on“Reference values (RV)” and “Reference range (RR)” established in EPAR2006 as follows, High CRF (H) : higher than “RV”; Medium CRF (M), below “RV”but within “RR”; Low CRF (L), lower than “RR”. In men, M and L groups showed significantly higher MS-score than H group．In women, L group showed significantly higher MS-score than H and M groups. Men with low HGS (below current mean HGS of each age group) showed significantly higher MSscore than those with high HGS did.
　These results suggest that MS risk could be increased when the CRF is lower than “Reference values” for men, but below “Reference range” for women, and below current mean HGS of each age group for men.

DESCENTE SPORTS SCIENCE Vol.31/THE DESCENTE AND ISHIMOTO MEMORIAL FOUNDATION FOR THE PROMOTION SPORTS SCIENCE