The effect of community-based education for lifestyle intervention on the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components: tehran lipid and glucose study.

BACKGROUND

It has been shown that life style modification may decrease the prevalence of metabolic syndrome, but this intervention has not been reported in community setting.

OBJECTIVES

Effect of lifestyle modification on prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components were assessed in an urban population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In 6870 participants of Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study aged 20-74 years, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components were measured before and after a 3.6 years interval. Lifestyle intervention was employed at a community level including 2961 individuals and also 3909 subjects which were recruited as controls. Logistic regression analysis was adjusted for age, sex and medications.

RESULTS

After 3.6 years, the rise in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was less prominent in intervention than control group (P < 0.002 for increase of metabolic syndrome prevalence between groups), with an OR of 0.84 (confidence interval 0.75-0.95). After intervention the prevalence of abdominal obesity, elevated fasting glucose levels, elevated triglyceride and low HDL cholesterol were more prominent in control group, as compared to intervention group.

CONCLUSIONS

Community based lifestyle modifications in Tehranian adults delayed rise in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and some of its components.