Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome and Combinations of Its Components: Findings from the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey, 2021

Abstract

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a clinical construct that conglomerates risk factors interconnected with cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. More than a thousand million individuals in the world were diagnosed with MetS in 2018. Objective: Our objective was to examine the prevalence of MetS and its components among Mexican adults. Methods: Data from 1733 adults aged ≥20 years who participated in the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey 2021. Sociodemographic, and clinical factors were gathered and analyzed. To define MetS, we used the harmonized diagnosis criteria. Results: The prevalence of MetS in Mexican adults was 45.3% (43.7% in men and 46.8% in women). This was mainly driven by increased abdominal obesity (AO) 79.8% and dyslipidemia (low high-density lipoprotein [HDL]-cholesterol and hypertriglyceridemia) 77.1%. The proportion of subjects with a least one MetS component was 90.5% and with any combination of two components was 25.2% and for three was 28.9%. The most frequent combination of MetS components was the cluster of AO, low HDL-cholesterol, and hypertriglyceridemia (15.6%). Conclusions: A high prevalence of MetS was registered in Mexico in 2021. Women and adults aged 40 years or older were the groups with the highest prevalence of MetS and its components. The health system in Mexico must promote strategies for the prevention and control of MetS and its components in adults.