Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome and Its Individual Components Among Midwestern University Students

Abstract

Michigan has the 17th highest adult obesity rate in the United States. Among college-aged adults between 18 and 25 years old, the rate of obesity was 11.6%. Obesity is a key precedent for the development of metabolic syndrome. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its individual components among a sample of students at Central Michigan University. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 462 students, aged 18-25 years, in Spring 2015 and Fall/Spring 2016 semesters. Students were recruited throughout the campus via flyers, in-class, and Blackboard announcements. Biochemical, anthropometric, and blood pressure measurements were taken for all students. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome was estimated based on the National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines. Multivariable analysis was used to assess the prevalence of metabolic risk components. To explore the association between metabolic risk factors and lifestyle behaviors, students filled out a validated online questionnaire related to their eating habits, physical activity, and sleep patterns. Metabolic syndrome was not prevalent in our sample. However, about one-third of the students had at least one metabolic abnormality, and 6.0% had two metabolic abnormalities. The most common metabolic abnormalities were low HDL-cholesterol levels (22.0%) and high waist circumference (12.6%), and elevated serum triglyceride (5.8%). Adjusting for other factors, excess adiposity and high visceral fat scores were associated with increased risk of metabolic risk factors, whereas healthy lifestyle practices such as daily breakfast consumption, eating three meals a day, being active, and not smoking were associated with lower risks for MetS. Given the adverse consequences of undiagnosed metabolic abnormalities, efforts to identify and manage MetS among asymptomatic college students, particularly women, is essential and warrants further research.

Metabolic Syndrome Among Young Health Professionals in the Multicenter Latin America Metabolic Syndrome Study

“…31 Moreover, the frequency of AO in this study was less than the frequencies observed in medical students from Ecuador (43.2%) 33 and in young health professionals (74.6% younger than 40 years) in Brazil (55.4%). 30 However, the frequency of low HDL-C in our study was higher than that observed in university students from the United States (12.6%) 43 and in young Brazilian health professionals (23.8%) 30 ; and it was lower than the frequency reported in Ecuadorian medical students (31.8%) 33 and in medical students from Mexico (59.1%). 31 The higher prevalence of AO may be attributable to the fact that Latin American populations are more susceptible to abdominal fat accumulation and to the development of insulin resistance and fatty liver than non-Hispanic white populations.…”

“…41,42 These two components were also the most frequently reported MS components in other studies on general populations in Latin American countries such as Mexico, 16,19 Venezuela, 17 Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, 15 in addition to university students in the United States, 43 medical students in Ecuador 33 and Mexico, 31 and health professionals in Brazil 30 and Mexico. [26][27][28] However, the frequency of AO observed in this study is higher than that reported in university students in the United States (22%) 43 and in medical students from Mexico (17.8%). 31 Moreover, the frequency of AO in this study was less than the frequencies observed in medical students from Ecuador (43.2%) 33 and in young health professionals (74.6% younger than 40 years) in Brazil (55.4%).…”

Effects of risk factor numbers on the development of the metabolic syndrome

“…Generally, metabolic syndrome is closely related with smoking, drinking alcohol, obesity, body mass index (BMI), gender, age, stress, exercise, hypertension, chronic disease, family history, and concerns on health (Fan et al, 2019;Jamee et al, 2019;Li et al, 2016;Mercado et al, 2015;Pérez et al, 2019;Yahia et al, 2017).…”

Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Related to Metabolic Syndrome in College Students: A Cross-Sectional Secondary Data Analysis

“…MS prevalence is estimated to increase with age; the prevalence is 20–25% in adults and 0.6–13% in college students in the USA [7,8,9]. Findings from the Young Adult Health Risk Screening Initiative study, conducted on 2722 college students aged 18–24 years, showed that 3% and 10% of female and male participants, respectively, had MS, and 54% and 77% of female and male participants, respectively, had at least one risk factor for MS [7].…”