Prevalence and Associated Risk Factor Findings in the US Population From the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-1994

TLDR: For example, this article found that older age, postmenopausal status, Mexican American ethnicity, higher body mass index, current smoking, low household income, high carbohydrate intake, no alcohol consumption, and physical inactivity were associated with increased odds of metabolic syndrome.

Abstract: Background: The metabolic syndrome is an importantclusterofcoronaryheartdiseaseriskfactorswithcommon insulin resistance. The extent to which the metabolic syndrome is associated with demographic and potentially modifiable lifestyle factors in the US population is unknown. Methods: Metabolic syndrome–associated factors and prevalence, as defined by Adult Treatment Panel III criteria,wereevaluatedinarepresentativeUSsampleof3305 black,3477MexicanAmerican,and5581whitemenand nonpregnantorlactatingwomenaged20yearsandolder who participated in the cross-sectional Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Results: The metabolic syndrome was present in 22.8% and 22.6% of US men and women, respectively (P=.86). The age-specific prevalence was highest in Mexican Americans and lowest in blacks of both sexes. Ethnic differences persisted even after adjusting for age, body mass index, and socioeconomic status. The metabolic syndrome was present in 4.6%, 22.4%, and 59.6% of normal-weight, overweight, and obese men, respectively, and a similar distribution was observed in women. Older age, postmenopausal status, Mexican American ethnicity, higher body mass index, current smoking, low household income, high carbohydrate intake, no alcohol consumption, and physical inactivity were associated with increased odds of the metabolic syndrome.