Metabolic syndrome in overweight and obese young Palestinian students at An-Najah National University: a cross-sectional study

Metabolic syndrome is one of the main reasons for elevated mortality worldwide. The aim of this study was to characterise and establish sex-adjusted prevalence of metabolic syndrome in young Palestinian adults. This cross-sectional study was done at An-Najah National University in 2014 using International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and modified National Cholesterol Education Program-Third Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP) definitions. Approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board, and written informed consent was obtained from all participants. Of 850 students (352 men, 498 women) aged 18–24 years, 178 (21%) were overweight, and 45 (5%) were obese. 154 students were enrolled in this study (89 [58%] men, 65 [42%] women). 114 [74%] participants were overweight, and 40 [26%] participants were obese. Metabolic syndrome was more prevalent when the IDF definition was used (44 [29%] participants) than when the modified NCEP definition was used (37 [24%] participants; p0·05). Metabolic syndrome was more prevalent in participants with obesity than in students with overweight according to the IDF definition (16 [40%] vs 29 [25%]) and the modified NCEP definition (14 [35%] vs 23 [20%]). The prevalence of individual metabolic syndrome components was: 111 (72%) for central obesity (48 [43%] men, 63 [57%] women) according to the IDF definition, and 66 (43%) participants (18 [27%] men, 48 [73%] women) according to the modified NCEP definition; 46 [30%] for increased blood pressure (33 [72%] men, 13 [28%] women); 28 [18%] for high triglycerides (24 [86%] men, four [14%] women); 115 [75%] for low HDL-cholesterol (72 [63%] men, 43 [37%] women); and 37 (24%) for impaired fasting glucose (22 [59%] men, 15 [41%] women). Low HDL-cholesterol, central obesity, and raised blood pressure were the leading three common metabolic abnormalities in participants. Irrespective of the definition used, metabolic syndrome is highly prevalent in Palestinian young adults. With the increase of obesity, the clustering of metabolic syndrome components was remarkably increased. More attention should therefore be given to the adult population at risk to reduce adulthood obesity and subsequent cardiovascular disease. None.