Metabolic syndrome index measurement tool (MSI): scale development, reliability and validity study.

Area of Science:

• Metabolic Syndrome Research
• Biostatistics
• Public Health

Background:

• Metabolic syndrome (MetS) poses significant risks for developing diabetes and heart disease.
• Early identification of MetS risk is crucial for timely interventions and improved quality of life.
• A validated measurement tool is needed to assess population-level MetS risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a reliable measurement tool for assessing population-level metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk.
• To establish the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive accuracy of the developed tool.

Main Methods:

• A methodological study involving literature review to create an item pool.
• Content validity ensured by expert opinions, followed by pre-application and data collection from 448 individuals (43 with MetS, 405 without).
• Statistical analysis using SPSS and MedCalc, including ROC analysis for cut-off points and t-tests for scale discrimination.

Main Results:

• Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis yielded a cut-off score of 48 with 100% sensitivity and 85.43% specificity.
• Correlation analysis showed a moderate positive correlation (r=0.632, p<0.001) between the Metabolic Syndrome Index (MSI) and the Finnish Diabetes Risk Scale (FINDRISC).
• The MSI demonstrated significant discrimination between upper and lower risk groups (p<0.05), indicating sensitive measurements.

Conclusions:

• The Metabolic Syndrome Index (MSI) scale is a valid and reliable instrument.
• The MSI scale enables the early detection of metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk.
• This tool can contribute to proactive public health strategies for managing MetS.