Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in Saudi Population by Khalid S Aljabri in Archives of Diabetes & Obesity in Lupine Publishers
Background and Objective: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a
cluster of metabolic factors. The prevalence of MetS are increasing
worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence as well
as the individual components of MetS in Saudi population.
Methods: We analyzed 2810 participants who are equal to or
older than 18 years old. All cases were from the population of
the primary health at King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital. All data were
collected by personal interview and based on a review
of electronic medical records. Physician and nurse interviewers measured
and recorded weight (kg) and height (cm). Metabolic
risk factors were defined using the 2006 International Diabetes
Federation criteria that define elevated triglyceride (TG) as ≥150
mg/dL (≥1.7 mmol/L) and reduced HDL as <40 mg/dL (<1.03 mmol/L)
for male and as<50 mg/dL (<1.29 mmol/L) for female.
Hypertension (HTN) was defined when the systolic blood pressure was ≥130
mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure was ≥85 mm
Hg in addition to receiving any medication for HTN. Abnormal glucose
metabolism was con¬sidered when HbA1c (≥5.7) or when
patients were known to have type 2 diabetes (T2DM). A combination of two
or more of these risk factors was used to assess cutoff
values for BMI. Body mass index (BMI) values classified as lean
(BMI<18.5), normal weight (BMI=18.5-24.9 kg/m2), overweight
(BMI=25.0-29.9 kg/m2), obese (BMI≥30 kg/m2. The total number of females were separated on basis of age values into 5 groups:
<30 years, 30-39 years, 40-49 years, 50-59 years and ≥60years.
Main results: Of the 2810 participants analyzed, 1060 (37.7%)
were male and 1750 (62.3%) were female with female to male
ratio 1.7:1. Age was 42.7±15.8 (minimum 18 years and maximum 105 years).
MetS was present in 1815 cases (64.4%) where 692
cases (38.1%) were male and 1123 cases (61.9%) were female with female
to male ratio 1.6:1, P=0.6. Males were significantly older
than females in MetS patients (56.4±12.9 vs. 53.6±12.4 respectively,
p<0.0001). BMI was significantly higher in females than males
with MetS patients (33.0±7.2 vs. 30.1±5.0 respectively, p<0.0001).
Female patients with metabolic syndrome were significantly
younger, had higher except TG mean BMI and HbA1c>5.6 or Type 2
diabetes mellitus. Patients with T2DM or having HbA1c>5.6
were 3-fold to possess MetS (OR=3.3; 95% confidence interval [CI]=3.0,
3.8, or had been diagnosed with HTN (OR=2.1; 95% CI=2.0,
2.2), (p<0.0001), have low levels of HDL-cholesterol (OR=3.6; 95%
CI=2.7, 4.9) and were also more likely to have elevated plasma
triglyceride levels (OR=1.9; 95% CI=1.8, 2.0). MetS prevalence is
consistently statistically significant with increasing age
(p<0.0001).
Moreover, the frequency of MetS is consistently statistically
significant with increasing BMI (p<0.0001) and higher among older age
group ≥60 years of age in all patients and both genders. Moreover, MetS
prevalence was higher among BMI≥30 group in all patients
and both genders. Thus, the mean of BMI among MetS is statistically
significant correlated with increasing with advanced age, (r=
-0.1, p<0.0001).
Conclusion: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome among Saudis is relatively high. Female gender, old age and obesity can be
regarded as related factors.
