The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in a farm worker community in the Boland district, South Africa

Abstract

Background: In South Africa, not much is known about MetS in farm working communities. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of the MetS in a farm working population from the Boland winelands district of the Western Cape, South Africa.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was followed among farm workers (aged 20-60 years) from surrounding wine estates. The questionnaires used described socio-demographic status, ethnic background, alcohol consumption, smoking, exercise and daily medication. Anthropometric assessments were performed and blood pressure measurements taken prior to blood sampling for serum insulin, glucose and fasting lipogram profiles.

Results: The prevalence of the MetS was higher in women (46.3 vs 29.3%). Both men and women in the MetS group had a significantly higher waist circumferences (WC; p < 0.001 for both), whilst higher glucose levels were only significantly higher in the women (p < 0.001). Correlations showed significant differences between body mass index (BMI), WC and waist to hip ratio (W:H) and the different MetS risk factors.

Conclusions: The female population in this study showed higher prevalence rates for the individual risk factors and the MetS overall. There is an urgent need to develop culturally sensitive health promotion programs addressing risk factors for metabolic syndrome among farm workers.

Keywords: Anthropometry; Metabolic syndrome; Obesity; Prevalence.

Fig. 1

Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in men and women according to IDF criteria

Fig. 2

Prevalence of each component of the metabolic syndrome in the total population, men, as well as women

Fig. 3

Risk factors according to the IDF criteria for men and women in the MetS and non-MetS groups for (a) waist-circumference; (b) glucose; (c) triglycerides, (d) HDL-c; (e) systolic BP and (f) diastolic BP. The grey solid lines represent the normal cut-off values according to the IDF

Fig. 4

Distribution of risk factors according to the IDF criteria for participants diagnosed with (a) the metabolic syndrome (b) and those without the metabolic syndrome

Fig. 5

Distribution of participants with the MetS according to age

Fig. 6

Correlations showing relationships between body fat indices and the MetS risk factors: a BMI and glucose, (b) BMI and triglycerides, (c) WC and glucose, (d) WC and triglycerides, (e) W:H and glucose and (f) W:H and triglycerides. Significance are indicated (*) next to the respective groups

Fig. 7

Correlations showing relationships between BMI and systolic and diastolic BP (a and b respectively) and WC and systolic and diastolic BP (c and d). Significance are indicated (*) next to the respective groups