Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in Adolescent Students at a Public School in Honduras

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is an accumulation of metabolic abnormalities that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus type 2. The components of MetS include central obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, decrease of high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, hyperglycemia and hypertension. Objectives: To determine the frequency of MetS and its components in adolescents in a public school in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, using criteria from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 305 students between 10 and 16 years old who attend a public Institute during the school year 2016. The evaluated variables were: Abdominal circumference, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, triglycerides and high density lipoprotein (HDL), body mass index. Socio-demographics: sex, age and familiar antecedents of Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus. Statistics Analysis: (X2), Pearson’s Coefficient, T and Z tests.  Results: A prevalence of 1.6% of MetS was found among the 305 participants; 21.3% of participants presented at least one component of the syndrome, 5.5% two, and 1.6% three components. The frequency of each component was as follows: low HDL 14.4%, abdominal adiposity 11.4%, hypertriglyceridemia 9.8% and hyperglycemia 2%. The presence of the components had no significant difference between sexes, unlike obesity, which was more significant in boys (p=0.001). Conclusions: There is an important prevalence of the components of MetS, and these are the ones that in a future could contribute to develop cardiovascular and metabolic disease. The main intervention is to change lifestyles with a healthy diet and increased physical activity.