Korean J Health Promot.  2012 Mar;12(1):13-21.

Sex Differences in Lifestyle Factors of Metabolic Syndrome in Korean Adults

• Son JS
• Cho BM
• Kim YW
• Chae CH
• Kim CW
• Kim JH

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Metabolic syndrome is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The combination of an aging population with a chronic diseased population is leading to an increase in the mortality rate due to cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the Korean population and to evaluate its related factors for sex differences.
METHODS
From April 2007 to December 2008, a total of 2,729 volunteers aged 40-69 years living in Changwon city underwent a clinical examination at a hospital in Changwon, Korea. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed following the criteria defined in Circulation 2009. The clinical examination included measuring anthropometric variables and cardiovascular risk factors, while lifestyle factors were assessed through a questionnaire.
RESULTS
The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in our sampling pool was 25.2% with a break down by sex showing a rate of 30.2% in men and 22.2% in women. Related factors associated with metabolic syndrome common to both sex were age, self-health assessment, and alcohol consumption. Sleep duration seemed to be a related factor in men, while income, education, and menstruation status played significant roles in women.
CONCLUSIONS
To better manage metabolic syndrome, men need to be educated on alcohol use and women of low socioeconomic status require particular attention as do the aging population and postmenopausal women.

Keyword

Metabolic syndrome; Prevalence; Sex differences

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Aging
Alcohol Drinking
Cardiovascular Diseases
Female
Humans
Korea
Life Style
Male
Menstruation
Prevalence
Risk Factors
Sex Characteristics
Social Class