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Sex-specific prevalence of metabolic syndrome in older adults: results from the Neyshabur longitudinal study on aging, Iran

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Abstract

Purpose

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and associated diseases grows as the population ages. This study aimed to investigate sex differences in the prevalence of MetS and its components among people aged 50 years and older in Iran.

Methods

Data were drawn from the Neyshabur Longitudinal Study on Ageing (NeLSA), which is an ageing component of the Prospective Epidemiological Research Studies in IraAn (PERSIAN). The NCEP ATP III and IDF criteria were used to identify the prevalence of MetS among 3383 men and 3873 women aged 50 years and older. Sociodemographic information, lifestyle and clinical factors were collected via an interview-based questionnaire. Weight and height, waist circumferences and blood pressure were measured. Laboratory measures such as fasting blood sugar, triglycerides and high-density cholesterol were also assessed.

Results

The overall prevalence of the MetS according to the NCEP ATP III and IDF definitions were 45% and 47%, respectively. The prevalence of the MetS in men and women was 37% and 63% according to the NCEP ATP III definition, 33% and 67% by the IDF definition, respectively. The prevalence of MetS components was significantly higher in women than in men.

Conclusion

In the current study, the prevalence of MetS and its components was significantly higher among women than men. We also observed good concordance between IDF and NCEP ATP III criteria.

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Data availability

The datasets used and analysed during the current study available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Funding

Funding for the NeLSA has been partly provided by Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences. The Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical education has also contributed to the funding used in the PERSIAN Cohorts through Grant no 700/534.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Healthy Ageing Research Centre, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, 9329774448, Neyshabur, Iran

    Mohsen Azimi-Nezhad, Nayyereh Aminisani, Ahmad Ghasemi, Azam Rezaei Farimani & Seyed Morteza Shamshirgaran

  2. Cardiovascular Diseases Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran

    Azam Rezaei Farimani

  3. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur, Iran

    Fatemeh Khorashadizadeh

  4. Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur, Iran

    Seyed Reza Mirhafez

  5. Centre for Innovative Ageing, College of Human and Health Sciences, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, UK

    Martin Hyde

Authors
  1. Mohsen Azimi-Nezhad
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Contributions

The author’s contributions were as follows: NA, MSH, MA, and MH were involved in design of the protocol and reviewed all drafts of the manuscript. NA, MSH, and FK were responsible for data preparation and analysis. AZ, AGH, contributed in developing the current research question and prepared the manuscript draft. All authors reviewed and contributed to all drafts of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Seyed Morteza Shamshirgaran.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate

NeLSA has been approved by the Ethical Committee of Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences (record number IR.NUMS.REC, 1394.35) and the PERSIAN cohort study ethics approval by Tehran University of Medical Sciences (record number IR.TUMS.DDRI.REC.1396.1). The Written informed consent was obtained from all participants and they were free to leave the study at any time and for any reason, without any consequences. The current study received an approval from Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences (record number IR.NUMS.REC.1398.040).

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Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Azimi-Nezhad, M., Aminisani, N., Ghasemi, A. et al. Sex-specific prevalence of metabolic syndrome in older adults: results from the Neyshabur longitudinal study on aging, Iran. J Diabetes Metab Disord 21, 263–273 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40200-022-00969-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40200-022-00969-6

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