Environmental
and dietary exposures to acrylamide (AA) have been
linked with various metabolic-related outcomes, but the results are
mixed. However, the association between long-term exposure to AA and
the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) remains unknown. In this
study, we aimed to assess the relationship between hemoglobin adducts
of AA, biomarkers of internal exposure to AA, and MetS prevalence
among a U.S. nationwide population. MetS patients were defined by
meeting three or more of the following five characteristics: elevated
blood pressure, high fasting glucose, abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridemia,
and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Multivariate-adjusted
logistic regression models and restricted cubic spline models were
used to analyze the associations between AA hemoglobin biomarkers
and MetS prevalence. A total of 1552 MetS cases were documented. After
adjustment for the potential confounders, the odds ratios (95% confidence
intervals) of MetS prevalence in the highest quartile of AA hemoglobin
biomarkers were 0.60 (0.40–0.89), 1.26 (0.84–1.89),
0.93 (0.71–1.21), and 1.61 (1.18–2.20) for HbAA, HbGA,
the sum of HbAA and HbGA (HbAA + HbGA), and the ratio of HbGA to HbAA
(HbGA/HbAA), compared with the lowest quartile, respectively. HbAA
was significantly and inversely associated with blood pressure, fasting
glucose, abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, and low HDL-C, while
the HbGA/HbAA ratio was also positively associated with abdominal
obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, and low HDL-C. The restricted cubic
spline models revealed a positive relationship between the HbGA/HbAA
ratio and the prevalence of MetS, while the HbAA level was inversely
associated with MetS prevalence. Our current findings provided epidemiological
evidence that HbAA and the HbGA/HbAA ratio were significantly associated
with MetS prevalence among general U.S. adults. Further studies should
be conducted to examine the association between internal exposure
to AA and MetS prevalence.