Ataei Seyed Mohammad-Navid, Sheidaei Ali, Golestani Ali, Khosravi Sepehr, Rashidi Mohammad-Mahdi, Tabatabaei-Malazy Ozra, Haghshenas Rosa, Khalagi Kazem, Larijani Bagher
Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
PLoS One. 2025 Sep 10;20(9):e0331601. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0331601. eCollection 2025.
The prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) increases with aging, significantly contributing to the rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This study aimed to investigate over-time changes in the prevalence of MetS and its components among the elderly population of Iran.
We analyzed data from the 2016 and 2021 national STEPwise approach to non-communicable disease risk factor Surveillance (STEPS) for participants aged ≥65 who completed all three survey steps (questionnaire-based assessments, physical measurements, and laboratory tests) with no missing data on MetS components. According to the STEPS protocol, individuals with severe mental disorders, physical limitations that prevented measurements, or inability to provide laboratory samples were excluded. Using survey analysis techniques and weights, we ensured the findings are nationally representative. MetS was defined using the following criteria: National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATPIII), International Diabetes Federation (IDF), American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (AHA/NHLBI), and Joint Interim Statement (JIS). Regional IDF (RIDF) and regional JIS (RJIS) were defined by ethnicity-specific values of waist circumference.
This study included 4,000 elderly participants in 2016 and 3,849 in 2021, with a mean age of 74 and 72 years, respectively. Approximately 50% were female in both years, and the proportion of urban residents increased from 67% in 2016 to 75% in 2021. The national prevalence of MetS among the elderly increased significantly from 46.11%-66.38% in 2016 to 54.15%-73.98% in 2021 across different criteria, with an annual percent change of 2.19%-3.26%. Prevalence was higher in females and urban populations, while males showed a greater increase. High blood pressure, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and central obesity were the most common components of MetS, while elevated triglycerides and high fasting plasma glucose showed the largest increases over time.
The escalating prevalence of MetS in the elderly is a matter of increasing concern, underscoring the need for targeted policy interventions aimed at promoting healthy aging, empowering the elderly, and advocating for lifestyle modifications.
代谢综合征（MetS）的患病率随年龄增长而上升，这对非传染性疾病（NCDs）负担的增加有显著影响。本研究旨在调查伊朗老年人群中MetS及其组成成分患病率随时间的变化情况。
我们分析了2016年和2021年全国非传染性疾病危险因素监测逐步调查（STEPS）的数据，研究对象为年龄≥65岁且完成了所有三个调查步骤（基于问卷的评估、身体测量和实验室检测）且MetS组成成分无缺失数据的参与者。根据STEPS方案，排除患有严重精神障碍、因身体限制无法进行测量或无法提供实验室样本的个体。我们使用调查分析技术和权重，确保研究结果具有全国代表性。MetS采用以下标准进行定义：美国国家胆固醇教育计划成人治疗小组第三次报告（NCEP ATPIII）、国际糖尿病联盟（IDF）、美国心脏协会/美国国立心肺血液研究所（AHA/NHLBI）以及联合临时声明（JIS）。区域IDF（RIDF）和区域JIS（RJIS）根据特定种族的腰围值进行定义。
本研究在2016年纳入了4000名老年参与者，2021年纳入了3849名，平均年龄分别为74岁和72岁。两年中女性比例均约为50%，城市居民比例从2016年的67%增至2021年的75%。在不同标准下，老年人群中MetS的全国患病率从2016年的46.11%-66.38%显著增至2021年的54.15%-73.98%，年变化率为2.19%-3.26%。女性和城市人群的患病率较高，而男性的增幅更大。高血压、低高密度脂蛋白胆固醇和中心性肥胖是MetS最常见的组成成分，而甘油三酯升高和空腹血糖升高随时间的增幅最大。
老年人群中MetS患病率不断上升，这一问题日益受到关注，凸显了需要采取针对性的政策干预措施，以促进健康老龄化、增强老年人能力并倡导生活方式改变。
