Investigating the Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome and Its Associated Factors in Middle-Aged Individuals in Qaemshahr, 2023

Background and purpose: Metabolic syndrome is considered a prognostic indicator of fatal diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its associated factors among middle-aged individuals in Qaemshahr, Iran in 2023. Materials and methods: In this descriptive analytical cross-sectional study, 900 individuals aged 30-59 who visited the health centers in Qaemshahr were included. Metabolic syndrome was defined based on the NCEP-ATP III criteria. The data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 23. The comparison of quantitative variables was performed using the student’s t-test, while qualitative variables were compared using the Chi-square test. Results: Thirty-four percent of the studied population suffers from metabolic syndrome. Among individuals with metabolic syndrome, 38.9% had impaired systolic blood pressure, and 28.1% had impaired diastolic blood pressure. The majority of individuals with metabolic syndrome (94.7%) had triglyceride levels between 150 and 199 mg/dL, which were classified as borderline. Also, 5.23% of individuals had high triglyceride levels. Impaired HDL was observed in 80% of women and 55.3% of men with metabolic syndrome. There was a positive and significant relationship between age, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, waist circumference, height, weight, HDL, FBS, triglycerides, and waist circumference-to-height ratio with metabolic syndrome (P< 0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that 34% of the studied population suffers from metabolic syndrome, with middle-aged women being at higher risk than men. Therefore, primary prevention should address not only biological risk factors but also individual social and lifestyle conditions. In this regard, a basic organizational framework is suggested to identify affected individuals, ensure continuous follow-up, and provide education.