Lifestyle Intervention in Obese Arab Women

200 obese non-diabetic Arab women, 35-54 years old, with one or more parameters of the metabolic syndrome (NCEP-III criteria) will be randomized to either conventional or intensive treatment. The intensive intervention arm will include group meetings with physical education instructor (twice a month),group meetings with a dietician (once per month) and personal dietary counselling (once per month). The targets to be achieved will be at least 7% reduction of the initial body weight and engagement in leisure-time sports activity for at least 150 min/week.Evaluation before enrollment and at the end of the trial will include: information on dietary and physical activity habits, quality of life parameters, anthropometric and blood pressure measurement, blood lipid profile, and fasting and post oral glucose load blood glucose and insulin levels. Duration of the intervention: 12 month.