Dietary therapy of the metabolic syndrome

Metabolic Syndrome and its Associated Risk Factors in Healthy Adults: APopulation-Based Study in Iran

BACKGROUND

Metabolic syndrome includes obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, glucose intolerance, hypertension, and lipid profile abnormalities. The risk of cardiovascular diseases with this syndrome is higher than with each of its components alone. Currently, cardiovascular disorders have a great burden and a high mortality rate in Iran. This study was performed to determine prevalence of the metabolic syndrome and its underlying components in an urban population of Tehran.

METHODS

The 25-64-year-old individuals in the Population Laboratory of Tehran University of Medical Sciences were studied through a single-stage cluster sampling; 1573 participants were studied. The response rate was 94.08%. The study was designed according to the World Health Organization (WHO) MONICA (Multinational Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease) project using the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATPIII) criteria. The parameters used for the risk analysis were waist circumference, fasting serum triglycerides, high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, blood pressure, and fasting plasma glucose.

RESULTS

The crude prevalence rate of the metabolic syndrome was 29.9% (age-adjusted: 27.5%). The prevalence was significantly higher in women than in men (35.9% vs. 20.3%). The prevalence increased with age in both genders. In the whole population, 88% met at least one of the metabolic syndrome criteria. The most prevalent metabolic abnormalities were hypertriglyceridemia and hypertension that were present in more than half of the population. Also, means of HDL was significantly higher in metabolic syndrome positive group. By further adjustment for age and sex in multivariate analysis, the difference disappeared and even HDL-C level was slightly lower in people with metabolic syndrome.

CONCLUSIONS

RESULTS demonstrate high metabolic syndrome rate among target population especially in women. In view of correlation between metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease, it must be the priority for interventional preventive measures.

Serum uric acid levels and risk of metabolic syndrome in healthy adults

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between hyperuricemia and metabolic syndrome in a population of healthy subjects.

METHODS

We studied 1,573 healthy adults (25 to 64 years old) in the population laboratory of the Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The study was designed according to the World Health Organization MONICA (Multinational Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease) project with use of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria for metabolic syndrome.

RESULTS

The crude prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was 29.9% (age-adjusted, 27.5%). The rate of metabolic syndrome significantly increased in higher quartiles of serum uric acid in both sexes but especially in women (P<.0001 versus P = .026). The bivariate correlation was significant between uric acid levels and age, total serum cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, body mass index, waist and hip circumferences, waist-to-hip ratio, and systolic and diastolic blood pressures; however, there was not a significant correlation between serum uric acid concentrations and fasting plasma glucose.

CONCLUSION

These data indicate that an independent relationship exists between hyperuricemia and the metabolic syndrome. Moreover, hyperuricemia is significantly correlated with hypertriglyceridemia, hypertension, and visceral obesity. Early detection of hyperuricemia seems to be essential for prevention of the metabolic syndrome.