Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome affects approximately 20-30% of the adult population worldwide, and its prevalence increases significantly with age.

Among young adults aged 18 to 30 years, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome has been reported to range from 4.8% to 7.0%. Within this age group, dyslipidemia characterized by low HDL cholesterol was the most common risk factor, affecting 27–41% of individuals. This was followed by hypertension, which occurred in 16–26% of participants, and central obesity, which was present in 7–8%. Elevated triglyceride levels were observed in 8.6–15.6% of cases, while elevated fasting plasma glucose was reported in 2.8–15%.

The prevalence and clustering of metabolic syndrome risk factors vary considerably between countries. According to the American ATP III criteria, metabolic syndrome is defined as the presence of at least three out of five risk factors: elevated fasting glucose (≥110 mg/dL), reduced HDL cholesterol (<40 mg/dL in men and <50 mg/dL in women), elevated triglycerides (≥150 mg/dL), elevated blood pressure (≥130/85 mmHg), and abdominal obesity (waist circumference >102 cm in men and >88 cm in women).

In Germany, the most common combination of risk factors is elevated triglycerides, hypertension, and abdominal obesity. Across ten European countries, the clustering of metabolic syndrome components is not uniform. The combination of elevated triglycerides, elevated blood pressure, and abdominal obesity (T-B-W) was identified in approximately 12% of individuals with metabolic syndrome overall. However, this cluster was substantially more common in the United Kingdom (32.3%), Sardinia, Italy (19.6%), and Germany (18.5%) than in Sweden (1.2%), Spain (2.6%), or the United States (2.5%).

Table 1. Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in Selected Regions and Countries

Region/Country

Estimated Prevalence (%)

Population Studied

Diagnostic Criteria

Europe (overall)

20–30%

General adult population

IDF / NCEP ATP III

Germany

23–28%

Adults ≥18 years

IDF / NCEP ATP III

United Kingdom

22–30%

Adult population

ATP III / IDF

Italy

20–25%

Adult population

ATP III / IDF

Sardinia (Italy)

18–24%

Adult population

ATP III

Spain

22–31%

Adult population

ATP III / IDF

Sweden

15–20%

Adult population

ATP III

United States

34–39%

Adult population

NCEP ATP III

India (overall)

25–35%

Adult population

IDF / Modified ATP III

Urban India

30–45%

Urban adults

IDF

Rural India

15–25%

Rural adults

IDF

Note: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome varies according to age, sex, ethnicity, urbanization, and the diagnostic criteria used. In all populations studied, prevalence increases with age and is generally higher in urban populations than in rural populations.

References

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