Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome and Risk Factor Analysis Among Urban Elderly in One Medical Center in Northern Taiwan

SummaryBackgroundMetabolic syndrome (MetS) is a major risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in the elderly. This study aimed to discuss the prevalence and risk factors of MetS in both the urban and rural elderly population of Taiwan.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among elderly people (age ≥ 65 years) who received a senior-citizen health examination from March 2009 to November 2009. A total of 1181 participants (433 men, 36.7%; 748 women, 63.3%) were surveyed. MetS was defined using the modified Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) criteria.ResultsOf the study participants, 34.3% (405 of 1181 participants) had MetS. The percentage of those with two risk factors reached 30.1% (male: 31.2%; female: 29.5%), which was more common than having any other number of risk factors. Abnormalities in blood pressure, blood sugar, and waist circumference (WC) were the three most common risk factors. The odds ratio (OR) for MetS was higher with female sex, older age, and high body mass index (BMI) and lower with a higher education level. Strong correlations were found between BMI and WC, triglyceride (TG) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and WC and HDL-C.ConclusionThe majority of the elderly population in Taiwan had at least two risk factors for MetS. Patient education and regular screening are needed for early detection and management of risk factors in order to prevent evolvement to MetS and related chronic diseases.