Self-Reported Sedentary Behavior and Metabolic Syndrome among Children Aged 6-14 Years in Beijing, China

(1) Objective: This study aimed to examine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in children aged 6−14 years in Beijing, and to determine whether sedentary behavior is a risk factor. (2) Methods: Using a multistage stratified cluster random sampling method, 3460 students were selected for the Nutrition and Health Surveillance in Schoolchildren of Beijing (NHSSB). Data on children’s sedentary behavior time and MetS indicators were collected using the questionnaires, physical measurements, and laboratory tests. MetS was defined according to the CHN2012 criteria, and logistic regression analysis was used to compare the effects of different sedentary time on MetS and its components. (3) Results: The overall prevalence of MetS among children aged 6−14 in Beijing was 2.4%, and boys, suburban children, and older age were associated with a higher prevalence (χ2 values were 3.947, 9.982, and 27.463, respectively; p < 0.05). In boys, the prevalence rates of abdominal obesity, hyperglycemia, high triglycerides (TG), and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were higher in the high-level sedentary behavior group than those in the low-level sedentary behavior group (p < 0.05); and in girls, the prevalence rates of high TG, low HDL-C, and MetS were higher in the high-level sedentary behavior group than those in the low-level sedentary behavior group (p < 0.05). After adjusting for confounding factors, the multivariate logistic regression results showed that compared with children with low-level sedentary behavior, the risks of abdominal obesity and low HDL-C were higher in boys with high-level sedentary behavior (odds ratio (OR) 1.51, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.10−2.07, p = 0.011; OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.06−4.76, p = 0.034, respectively); while the risk of abdominal obesity was higher in girls with medium and high-level sedentary behavior (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.01−2.27, p = 0.043; OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.04−2.43, p = 0.032, respectively). (4) Conclusions: Higher sedentary behavior time was related to the higher risk of MetS components among children aged 6−14 in Beijing. Reducing sedentary behavior may be an important method for preventing metabolic diseases.