Obesity and metabolic syndrome among a representative sample of Iranian adolescents

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) increases the risk of developing many chronic diseases and originates early in life; its prevalence varies by population. The present study investigated the prevalence of MetS and the association between MetS and obesity in a population of adolescents in northern Iran. A total of 450 Iranian high school students (50% boys), aged 15-18 years, were enrolled in the study. Physical examination and biochemical analyses were conducted according to standard protocols; MetS was defined according to the modified NHANES III criteria. The prevalence of MetS among subjects was 3.3%. Eight percent of subjects had a body mass index (BMI) >75th percentile, and 10.5% had a BMI >85th percentile. Overall, 42.1% of students did not have any components of MetS. Waist circumferences (WC), Body Mass Index (BMI), serum level of triglycerides (TG) and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) were significantly higher among girls than boys. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and fasting blood sugar (FBS) were significantly higher among boys than girls. The associations between a BMI > or = 85th percentile and MetS (OR 6.97; 95%CI 2.41-20.16) and between a BMI > or = 75th percentile and MetS (OR 6.74; 95%CI 2.10-21.57) were statistically significant. The association between an increased WC and MetS was also statistically significant (OR 21.64; 95%CI 6.7-69.81). This study confirms the high prevalence of components of MetS among apparently Iranian adolescents, even among those not overweight. The high prevalence of MetS among adolescents with generalized and abdominal obesity underscores the need for primary prevention of MetS in early life.