Key result
Women have ~89% higher metabolic syndrome prevalence than men in an urban Algerian population.
Why the study?
The prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its associated risk factors were unknown among an urban population in Algeria.
Cross-Sectional (n=787)
No
Metabolic syndrome is highly prevalent (20%) in the urban population of North Algeria, particularly among women, driven by low HDL and abdominal obesity.
Alerts clinicians to high metabolic syndrome burden among Algerian women; leaves open prospective links to regional cardiovascular outcomes.
BACKGROUND: Aging and lifestyle changes had led to an epidemiological transition, with a significant impact on the incidence of cardiovascular diseases in North Africa. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its associated factors, which were unknown, among an urban population in Algeria. METHODS: During 2007-2009, 787 individuals aged 30-64 years, randomly selected from the list of insured persons residing in the city of Oran, participated in a clinical, anthropometric and biological survey. Participants were classified according to the National Cholesterol Education Program - Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP-ATP) III definition of metabolic syndrome. RESULTS: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 20%, higher in women than men (25.9 vs 13.7%; P<.0001). Among the components of the syndrome, the most common risk factors observed in women were a low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentration (60.4% vs 44.2% in men) and abdominal obesity (46.8% vs 30.1% in men) whereas men displayed more high blood pressure (42.5% vs 34.8% in women). In men, metabolic syndrome was more frequent in married and highly educated participants. In contrast, women with a high level of education and who had an intermediate level of physical activity seemed to be protected. CONCLUSIONS: Metabolic syndrome, prevalent in the urban population of North Algeria, is associated with a high proportion of low HDL-cholesterol and abdominal obesity, especially among women. There is a need for prevention strategies involving promotion of physical activity for the whole population and screening for hypertension among men.
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Houti et al. (2016) conducted a cross-sectional in Metabolic syndrome (n=787). Female sex vs. Male sex was evaluated on Prevalence of metabolic syndrome (p=<.0001). The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome in an urban Algerian population was 20%, and was significantly higher in women compared to men (25.9% vs 13.7%; P<.0001).
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