Metabolic syndrome in urban Asian Indian adults--a population study using modified ATP III criteria.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: To determine the prevalence of the Metabolic syndrome (MetS) using modified ATP III criteria in urban Asian Indian adults.

METHODS

475 subjects (age 20-75 years) from a population data base were studied for the MetS using ATP III criteria but with a modified waist circumference (WC) appropriate for Indians. Presence of >or=3 of the following; raised WC (Men >or=90 cm, Women >or=85 cm), triglycerides (TG) >or=1.7 mmol/l), HDL-Cholesterol (HDL-C)-<1.0 mmol/l for men, <1.3 mmol/l for women, fasting plasma glucose (FPG)>or=6.1 mmol/l and blood pressure (BP)>or=130/>or=85 mm of Hg, or using BP medication, indicated the MetS. Insulin resistance (IR) was calculated using the Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA) equation. Factor analysis was used to identify clusters of correlated abnormalities.

RESULTS

MetS was present in 41.1%. WC was increased in 31.4%, TG in 45.6%, low HDL-C in 65.5%, hypertension in 55.4% and raised FPG 26.7%. MetS was present in 27.9% of subjects with FPG<6.1 mmol/l and its prevalence increased to >70% with higher FPG values. MetS was more common in women than in men (46.5 vs. 36.4%, chi(2)=4.6, P=0.03) and in older people. Four distinct clusters of abnormalities were identified with some gender variations. IR was more prevalent in MetS and was a component of two clusters but it was not a core component in factor analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

MetS is common in Asian Indians. Its prevalence is age-related, and is more common in women. HOMA-IR or fasting plasma insulin was not a core component of the MetS.