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. 2021 May 17;20(1):747-756.
doi: 10.1007/s40200-021-00811-5. eCollection 2021 Jun.

Metabolic syndrome and lifestyle-associated factors in the ethnically diverse population of Khuzestan, Iran: a cross-sectional study

Armin Aryannejad  1   2 , Sareh Eghtesad  2 , Zahra Rahimi  3 , Zahra Mohammadi  2 , Reza Malihi  4 , Leila Danehchin  5 , Yousef Paridar  6 , Farhad Abolnezhadian  7   8 , Bahman Cheraghian  9 , Ali Mard  10 , Bahareh Gholami  1 , Amir Mohammad Zakeri  11 , Mohammadreza Tabary  1   2 , Sahar Masoudi  2 , Mohammad Reza Naderian  12 , Ali Akbar Shayesteh  13   14 , Hossein Poustchi  2   14
Affiliations

Metabolic syndrome and lifestyle-associated factors in the ethnically diverse population of Khuzestan, Iran: a cross-sectional study

Armin Aryannejad et al. J Diabetes Metab Disord. .

Abstract

Purpose: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of risk factors, mainly central obesity, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia, leading to life-threatening cardiovascular diseases. The prevalence of MetS can vary based on different ethnicities and many cultural and lifestyle factors.

Aims: We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of MetS and possible correlations with lifestyle-associated factors among different ethnicities in Khuzestan, Iran.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Khuzestan province of Iran, among 30,504 participants aged 20-65 years, between October 2016 and November 2019. Data was collected through questionnaires along with anthropometric and biological measurements. The National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III definition was used to estimate MetS prevalence.

Results: Overall, 31.9% (95% CI 31.4-32.4) had MetS (34.2% [95% CI 33.3-35.1] among males; 30.7% [95% CI 30.0-31.3] among females [p < 0.001]). Central obesity, elevated fasting blood sugar levels, and dyslipidemia were the most common abnormalities among those with MetS. The risk of MetS was estimated to increase by age, male gender, residing in urban regions, lower educational levels, lower physical activity levels, lower sleep time, and a positive family history of diabetes mellitus (p < 0.001). Individuals of the Arab and Bakhtiary ethnicities had the highest and lowest risk of MetS, respectively.

Conclusion: MetS prevalence varied among different ethnicities. Aging and some lifestyle-associated factors such as physical activity and sleep time were related to the risk of MetS. Raising awareness about risk factors of MetS would be of great value in setting new health policies to manage the rising trend of MetS.

Keywords: Cardiovascular disease; Ethnicity; Metabolic syndrome; Obesity.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interestThe authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The trend of metabolic syndrome (MetS) prevalence, based on age groups and ethnicities, for A) males, and B) females; P values for trends were < 0.001
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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