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Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the associations of physical activity and body mass index (BMI) with the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in police officers., Methods: Self-reported physical activity, MetS, and a modified MetS (MMetS, excluding obesity) were assessed in 448 officers., Results: Of the officers, 27.5% had MetS, 48.7% were overweight, and 31.7% were obese. Being overweight and obese increased the MetS risk by 6.8- and 10.9-fold, respectively, independent of physical activity level. Moderate and low levels of physical activity were associated with a 1.9- and 2.5-fold increased risk for MetS, but not after adjusting for BMI. However, within BMI categories, the risk for MMetS was lower as physical activity increased., Conclusion: In police, a higher BMI is more critical than reduced physical activity for MetS risk; however, physical activity can attenuate some of the risk associated with a higher BMI.

Objective: To assess the association of sleep characteristics and mental health with the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in law enforcement officers (LEOs)., Methods: Sleep duration (≤6, >6-<8, ≥8 hours/night), sleep quality ("good," "poor"), mental health (stress, burnout, depression), and MetS components were compared in 106 LEOs., Results: The prevalence of MetS was 33%. After covariate adjustment including the mental health measures, long sleep duration was associated with MetS (odds ratio = 4.89, 95% confidence interval = 1.32 to 18.13), whereas sleep quality was not. LEOs with short sleep duration or poor sleep quality reported more stress, burnout, and depression symptoms., Conclusions: In LEOs, sleep duration is more strongly associated with the occurrence of MetS than sleep quality, independent of mental health. Nevertheless, short sleep duration and poor sleep quality may affect mental health in LEOs.