Lean Metabolic Syndrome: A Concept or a Reality?

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Cardiovascular Health
• Metabolic Disorders

Background:

• Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is common in India, defined by central obesity and other risk factors.
• While obesity is less common in rural India, individual MetS components are frequent among lean populations.
• Existing definitions often rely on region-specific waist circumference, potentially overlooking MetS in nonobese individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the prevalence of MetS in rural West Bengal.
• To determine the prevalence of MetS in lean/nonobese individuals (lean MetS).
• To compare the prevalence of lean MetS between tribal and non-tribal populations.

Main Methods:

• A population-based study conducted in rural West Bengal.
• Included 205 individuals from scheduled tribe (ST) populations and 200 from non-ST populations.
• Assessed anthropometric and biochemical parameters to identify MetS components.

Main Results:

• The overall prevalence of MetS was 21.48% (IDF criteria) and 31.1% (NCEP ATP III criteria).
• The prevalence of lean MetS (normal waist circumference) was 12.8%.
• No significant difference in lean MetS prevalence was observed between non-tribal (14.6%) and tribal (11.6%) cohorts.

Conclusions:

• A significant number of individuals with nonobese/lean MetS exist in rural areas.
• The study recommends using NCEP ATP III criteria for MetS diagnosis when region-specific waist criteria are not met.
• This approach ensures accurate identification of MetS in diverse populations, including lean individuals.