Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and associated factors in 11- to 17-year-old adolescents

Abstract

The adoption of health risk behaviors (low level of habitual physical activity and inadequate food and nutrient intake) has increased the prevalence of overweight/obesity, particularly among adolescents. Thus, the prevalence of disorders and metabolic diseases has increased in this population. The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) and to analyze its association with sport participation and overweight in adolescents aged 11 to 17 years. A total of 683 adolescents (301 boys and 382 girls) were randomly selected to compose the sample. The prevalence of MS was established based on fasting glucose, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL-c), waist circumference, and blood pressure according to the cut-offs recommended by the Brazilian Society of Cardiology (2005). Nutritional status, sport participation, socioeconomic status, and alcohol consumption were analyzed as risk factors associated with MS. The presence of one or more risk factors was identified in 39.5% and 22.5% of the sample, respectively. The most prevalent MS components were low HDL-c (44.7%), high systolic blood pressure (32.4%), and elevated triglycerides (18.6%). The presence of MS was associated with both overweight and the lack of participation in sport (P < 0.05). The results indicated an overall prevalence of MS of 5.4% in adolescent boys and girls. Furthermore, overweight and lack of sport participation were the main factors associated with MS.