Korean J Fam Med.  2018 Sep;39(5):307-312. 10.4082/kjfm.17.0020.

Relationship between Marital Status and Metabolic Syndrome in Korean Middle-Aged Women: The Sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013–2014)

• Jung YA
• Kang LL
• Kim HN
• Park HK
• Hwang HS
• Park KY

• KMID: 2422111
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4082/kjfm.17.0020

Abstract

BACKGROUND
This study aimed to investigate the relationship between marital status and the incidence of metabolic syndrome in Korean middle-aged women.
METHODS
Based on data from the sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2013-2014), 3,225 women aged 40-69 years were subjected to the analysis. Marital status was categorized as married, unmarried, separated, widowed, or divorced. The odds ratios (ORs) for metabolic syndrome were calculated based on marital status. After adjustment for age, income level, education level, alcohol intake, smoking status, leisure physical activity, menopause status, daily calories, and fat intake, changes in the OR for metabolic syndrome based on marital status were examined by multivariate logistic regression analysis.
RESULTS
The OR for metabolic syndrome in the widowed group to the married group was 4.818 (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.861-6.002; P < 0.001) and that after adjustment of age, economic level, education level, alcohol intake, smoking status, physical activity, menopause status, total daily calories, and fat intake was 2.141 (CI, 1.432-3.199; P < 0.001), both of which were statistically significant. The OR for metabolic syndrome in the unmarried group to the married group was 0.246 (CI, 0.141-0.431; P < 0.001) after adjustment of all components. On the contrary, the ORs of the separated group and the divorced group to the married group were not significant.
CONCLUSION
In comparison with the married middle-aged group, the widowed middle-aged group tended to have a higher risk of metabolic syndrome, which is speculated to be related to socioeconomic factors and health behavior.

Keyword

Metabolic Syndrome; Marital Status; Middle Aged; Women; Health Behavior

MeSH Terms

Divorce
Education
Female
Health Behavior
Humans
Incidence
Korea*
Leisure Activities
Logistic Models
Marital Status*
Menopause
Middle Aged
Motor Activity
Nutrition Surveys*
Odds Ratio
Single Person
Smoke
Smoking
Socioeconomic Factors
Widowhood
Smoke