The purpose of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of a community-based exercise program to lower metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk factors.

MetS components were retrospectively analyzed in 332 adults (190 women, 142 men) before and after a 14-week supervised community exercise program between January 2007 and May 2012 at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

Except for total cholesterol, all health outcome variables, including the 5 MetS components, improved following community exercise. Individuals having MetS decreased from 22.3% before participation to 13.5% at end (p < 0.05), while prevalence of participants with no MetS components increased 56% (from 65 to 102; p < 0.05). Compared to the lowest quartile of relative energy expenditure, participants with the highest quartile were 6.4 (95% CI 1.8–23.2; p < 0.05), 7 (95% CI 2.5–20.0; p < 0.05) and 9.3 (95% CI 2.6–34.0; p < 0.05) times more likely to eliminate low-HDL cholesterol, impaired fasting glucose, and low cardiorespiratory fitness as MetS risk factors, respectively.

A community exercise program is an effective method to reduce cardiovascular risk in adults by substantially decreasing the prevalence of MetS and its components. Greater volumes of exercise may increase the likelihood of MetS risk factor elimination.