Metabolic syndrome in family practice in Jordan: a study of high-risk groups

ABSTRACT

This study assessed the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome, and its components, as defined by Adult Treatment Panel III criteria in Jordanian patients attending a family practice clinic for management of cardiovascular risk factors. The sample was 730 randomly selected patients aged >/= 25 years. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 37.4% [31.7% in men; 41.0% in women]. The prevalence increased with age in the total sample and in both sexes. High waist circumference showed the highest prevalence in the total sample [61.6%]. Among females it ranked as the first criterion [73.5%]. High serum triglyceride level showed the highest prevalence in males [50.2%]. Differences between the sexes were significant. Family practitioners should be alerted to the importance of multiple risk factors in the metabolic syndrome