[Obesity or overweight and metabolic syndrome in Mexico City teenagers]

Abstract

aim: To know the metabolic syndrome and its components prevalence in Mexico City adolescents sample.

Design: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 772 men and 1078 women, 12 to 16 years old, from 8 randomly selected public junior high schools in Mexico City.

Methods: Anthropometric variables, lipids, lipoproteins, Apo AI and B, glucose and insulin were determined.

Results: Prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 12.5%, 11.15% in men and 13.5% en women (p ns). The most frequently metabolic syndrome component found in México City adolescents was low HDL-C levels (38%), followed by hypertriglyceridemia (25.5%), hypertension (19.2%), central obesity (11.8%) and elevated fasting glucose (1.7). Except by the hypertriglyceridemia, higher in woman than in men, 28.2% vs. 21.6%, p < 0.001, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome components was similar between males and females.

Conclusions: The high prevalence of biochemical and physiological factors of metabolic syndrome, associated with overweight and obesity in Mexico City adolescents, increases the risk of premature development of coronary atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus in this population.