Risk factors for the metabolic syndrome in non-obese older Indonesians

The problem of metabolic syndrome among non-obese older people is often ignored. This study examines the risk factors for metabolic syndrome in non-obese older people in Indonesia. We analyzed information collected from 3323 non-obese older respondents interviewed in the 2018 Basic Health Research program.

The outcome variable was the metabolic syndrome consisting of three components: high lipid profile, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. The potential predictors analyzed were socio-demographic and behavioral factors consisting of psychomotor (cigarette smoking + physical activity) and dietary behavior (consumption of fat + fruit/vegetable). Multinomial logistic regression analysis was employed to assess metabolic syndrome risk factors in non-obese older people.

We found that the proportion of non-obese older people in Indonesia with metabolic syndrome was 83.8% (95%CI: 82.4-85.2%). The odds of developing 2-3 components of metabolic syndrome increased in respondents from rural areas (aOR=1.26, p=0.033) and those with moderate psychomotor behavior problems (current smoker/ex-smoker with sufficient physical activity) (aOR=1.48, p=0.002).

Health promotion activities are vital to improve awareness and promote healthy behaviors, specifically for those living in rural areas and smoking cigarettes.