[Metabolic syndrome in workers in a university hospital]

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a major health problem, and has economic effects on enterprises. The workplace is thus an important environment for primary prevention of risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

To determine the prevalence of MS and variables related to its development in hospital workers.

We performed a cross-sectional study of 740 workers in a large university hospital. Socioeconomic variables, anthropometric and blood pressure measurements, and laboratory exams were analyzed. MS was defined according to the criteria of the International Diabetes Federation.

Of the 740 workers, 72.4% were female and mean age was 34.9±9.5 years; 27.8% worked the morning shift, 20.3% the afternoon shift, 34.1% office hours, and 17.8% the night shift. As to educational level, 86.6% had finished high school or college. Waist circumference was high in 55.4%. Overall MS prevalence was 12.8%, 16.2% in males and 11.6% in females. Logistic regression analysis showed an independent association between MS and the following variables: elementary education, period of employment >10 years, office hours shift, and age group.

A diagnosis of MS was affected by age, educational level, work shift, and prolonged period of employment. Hospital workers do not differ from other populations and also need stimuli to make preventive changes to their behavior to modify cardiovascular risk factors.