No Improvement in Metabolic Health Condition of 40-74-year-old Rural Residents One Year After Screening

Japan introduced a new metabolic syndrome (MetS) screening and intervention program. However, the specific benefits of the program have not yet been identified. The aim of our study was to highlight the role of the program in reducing risks related to MetS in a Japanese rural area.

We used data from a prospective observational cohort study of all users who underwent an annual health checkup at a public clinic in a rural area. The subjects of the present study were all users aged 40-74 years who participated in the MetS program between January and September 2010. We ultimately analyzed a total of 413 subjects followed up 12 months after enrolment. The subjects were divided into two groups based on the need for educational support: support and non-support. In each group, we compared the subjects' MetS conditions at baseline and 12 months later.

Thus, 88 subjects out of 413 were assigned to the support group. Among the support group subjects, there were no significant changes in glycemic metabolism, lipid metabolism, blood pressure and accumulation of visceral fat between the baseline and follow-up checkups. Among the non-support group subjects, there were no significant changes in glycemic metabolism, lipid metabolism and blood pressure between the baseline and follow-up checkups, but there were significant changes for the worse in accumulation of visceral fat with time.

Unfortunately, the metabolic conditions of the rural subjects who participated in a new MetS screening and intervention program did not improve with time. Our findings underscore the importance of developing educational intervention programs to encourage the general population to modify their lifestyle and acquire healthier habits.