Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2016 Jul 14;11(7):e0159378.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0159378. eCollection 2016.

A Cross-Sectional Study of the Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome among Young Female Emirati Adults

Ayesha S Al Dhaheri  1 , Maysm N Mohamad  1 , Amjad H Jarrar  1 , Eric O Ohuma  2   3 , Leila Cheikh Ismail  4 , Fatima T Al Meqbaali  1 , Usama Souka  1 , Syed M Shah  5
Affiliations

A Cross-Sectional Study of the Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome among Young Female Emirati Adults

Ayesha S Al Dhaheri et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Introduction: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a growing problem in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Moreover, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is rapidly increasing in the UAE especially among young females. However, few studies have evaluated the prevalence of MetS among young female adults in the UAE. This study determined the prevalence of MetS in Emirati females aged 17-25 years and its relation to overweight and obesity.

Methods: In total, 555 Emirati female college students were enrolled in a cross-sectional study, conducted during 2013-2014 at United Arab Emirates University in Al Ain, UAE. Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure and biochemical measurements were collected. MetS was defined according to the harmonised International Diabetes Federation criteria.

Results: Of the 555 participants enrolled, 23.1% were overweight and 10.4% were classified as obese. The overall prevalence of MetS was 6.8%. MetS prevalence was highest among obese participants (34.5%), as compared with normal-weight (1.7%) and overweight (10.1%) participants. MetS was significantly associated with overweight (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.8, 95% confidence interval [CI]; 1.15-12.52) and obesity (aOR = 11.2, 95% CI; 3.1-40.9), as compared with normal-weight. Waist-hip ratio ≥ 0.8 (aOR = 3.04, 95% CI; 1.10-8.44) was significantly associated with MetS, as compared with waist-hip ratio <0.8. The odds of MetS were 22 fold higher in participants with glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) ≥ 6.5% (aOR = 22.5, 95% CI; 6.37-79.42) compared to HbA1c <6.5%. This difference was 9 fold higher when HbA1c between 5.6%-6.4% was compared to HbA1c <5.6% (aOR = 8.9, 95% CI; 3.4-23.5).

Conclusion: The prevalence of MetS among obese Emirati female students was significantly higher than overweight and normal weight students. The high prevalence of MetS highlights the importance of regular screening and intervention programmes targeting weight reduction.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Study participants enrolment process
Fig 2
Fig 2. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome components among UAEU young female adults 17–25 years (N = 555), Al Ain, UAE.
Fig 3
Fig 3. Percentage of participants per number of metabolic syndrome components and BMI category among young female adults aged 17–25 years (n = 555), Al Ain, UAE.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. WHO. Global status report on noncommunicable diseases 2014 Geneva: World Health Organization; 2014. 298 p.
    1. Alberti K, Zimmet P, Shaw J. Metabolic syndrome—a new world‐wide definition. A consensus statement from the international diabetes federation. Diabetic Medicine. 2006;23(5):469–80. - PubMed
    1. Malik M, Razig SA. The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome among the multiethnic population of the United Arab Emirates: a report of a national survey. Metabolic syndrome and related disorders. 2008;6(3):177–86. Epub 2008/08/14. 10.1089/met.2008.0006 . - DOI - PubMed
    1. Mehairi AE, Khouri AA, Naqbi MM, Muhairi SJ, Maskari FA, Nagelkerke N, et al. Metabolic syndrome among Emirati adolescents: a school-based study. PLoS One. 2013;8(2):e56159 10.1371/journal.pone.0056159 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Ng SW, Zaghloul S, Ali H, Harrison G, Yeatts K, El Sadig M, et al. Nutrition transition in the United Arab Emirates. European journal of clinical nutrition. 2011;65(12):1328–37. 10.1038/ejcn.2011.135 - DOI - PMC - PubMed