Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome as defined by NCEP-ATPIII among the urban Korean population

Park, Jeong Sik; Park, Hyun Duk; Yun, Jung Won; Jung, Chan Hee; Lee, Won Young; Kim, Sun Woo

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The definition of metabolic syndrome was different in each studies and thus the results of each studies were variable. In 2001 years, the third report of the national cholesterol education program expert panel on detection, evaluation and treatment of high blood cholesterol in adults (NCEP-ATP III) emphasized the importance of treating patients with the metabolic syndrome to prevent cardiovascular disease. In year 2000, the criteria to define obesity in Asia-Pacific region was proposed. However, limited information is available about the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome according to NCEP-ATP III in Korea. We compared the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in the urban Korean population by criteria of ATP III report and Asia-Pacific region and estimated the effect of age and sex on the development of metabolic syndrome.
METHODS
Total 40,698 participants (26,528 men, 14,170 women) underwent medical check-up from Jan. to Dec. 2001, aged 20-82 years (mean+/-SD: 41.2+/-9.2), were included in this study. Age, sex, height, body weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol and fasting glucose levels were measured.
RESULTS
By the definition of ATPIII, the age-adjusted prevalence of metabolic syndrome for Koreans was 6.8% in total, 5.2% in men, 9.0% in women. In Asia-Pacific definition with waist circumference, 10.9% in total, 9.8% in men, 12.4%. In Asia-Pacific definition with body mass index (BMI) instead of waist circumference, 13.1% in total, 13.2% in men, 13.1% in women. By the definition of ATP III, the prevalence among participants aged 20 through 29 years, 30 through 39 years, 40 through 49 years, 50 through 59 years, 60 through 69 years, and over 70 years were 1.4%, 2.5%, 5.2%, 11.5%, 19.5% and 22.2%, respectively. By the Asia-Pacific definition with waist circumference, 2.4%, 5.4%, 9.4%, 18.2%, 27.5% and 31.3%, respectively. By the Asia-Pacific definition with BMI instead of waist circumference, 3.2%, 8.4%, 13.0%, 21.0%, 29.0% and 30.6%, respectively. With BMI-adjusted logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio of participants with the metabolic syndrome aged over 70 years against aged 20 through 29 years was 13.8(95% CI 8.2~23.2). With age and BMI-adjusted logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio of women with the metabolic syndrome for men was 1.4(95% CI 1.2~1.5).
CONCLUSION
The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome on NHANES III (The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) report in USA displayed much difference with our report. Therefore, adequate criteria of the metabolic syndrome for Koreans should be needed.