ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To determine and compare the prevalence and risk factors of metabolic syndrome (MS) among Tarahumara Indians living in rural and urban communities. METHODS: Conducted in 2010, this cross-sectional study included 204 Tarahumara (100 urban and 104 rural individuals 18-75â¯years old [yo]). Data obtained includes: Anthropometric, lifestyle, blood pressure (BP) and fasting blood tests. Analyses were stratified by gender and age. RESULTS: The total prevalence of MS in rural and urban Tarahumara were 41% and 28% (pâ¯=â¯0.04), respectively. In urban cohorts, the prevalence of MS increased linearly with age. Women presented with a higher MS prevalence than men in urban (44.6% vs. 34.3%, pâ¯=â¯0.4) and rural (50% vs. 12.5%, pâ¯=â¯0.0001) cohorts. In men, urban residents presented with a higher MS prevalence vs. rural subjects; The same was not true for women. Age-related increment in waist circumference was linear and significantly higher in urban men compared to their rural counterpart (urban 6.5 [95% CI 4.24-8.79] vs. rural 2.7 [95% CI 1.19-4.24] centimeters/decade, pâ¯<â¯0.05). Multivariate analysis showed a significant relationship between urban residency and MS in men, but not in women. CONCLUSION: The overall prevalence of MS is higher in women than men, but the latter are more susceptible to the urbanization-associated worsening of cardiometabolic health.