Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and associated risk factors in Northern Plains and Southwest American Indians

Purpose: To examine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome by age, sex, diabetes status, and body mass index in Northern Plains and Southwest American Indians. Methods: Data for this analysis came from the Education and Research Towards Health (EARTH) Study, a 5-year cross-sectional study of 5,207 Southwest and Northern Plains American Indian adults. Participants completed a 62-item questionnaire on health status and lifestyle behaviors. Medical measurements included seated blood pressure, height, weight, waist and hip circumference, serum lipids, and fasting blood glucose. Results: The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was 48% among 4,457 participants aged 18 to 88 years included in this analysis. Prevalence varied according to sex and diabetes status, ranging from as high as 82% in Northern Plains women with diabetes to as low as 25% in Northern Plains men without diabetes. The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was 43% and 57% for the Northern Plains and Southwest, respectively. In both sites and in men and women, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was higher in participants with diabetes in all age groups; however, 25% to 43% of individuals without diabetes had metabolic syndrome. In participants without diabetes and in both sites, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome increased with age. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome increased with BMI among all participants. Conclusions: This study confirms a high prevalence of the metabolic syndrome among Northern Plains and Southwest American Indians. Recognizing and intensively treating metabolic syndrome can reduce diabetes and cardiovascular disease, even in persons with only 1 or 2 components.