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Prevalence and associated factors of metabolic syndrome among a national population-based sample of 18–108-year-olds in Iraq: results of the 2015 STEPS survey

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Abstract

Background

This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) among 18–108-year-old persons in Iraq.

Method

Nationally representative cross-sectional data were analysed from 3703 18–108-year-old persons (32 years median age) that participated in the “2015 Iraq STEPS survey,” with complete MetS measurements.

Results

Results indicate that 39.4% of 18–108 year-olds had MetS (harmonized definition), 39.8% among women and 39.0% among men, and the mean number of MetS components was 2.4 (SD=1.4), 2.4 (SD=1.4) among women and 1.5 (SD=1.4) among men. In adjusted logistic regression analysis, aged 60–108 years (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 6.69, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.82–9.29), current smoking (AOR 1.38, 95% CI 1.01–1.90), past smoking (AOR 1.54, 95% CI 1.00–2.36), general overweight (AOR 4.87, 95% CI 3.07–5.63) and obesity (AOR: 8.33, 95% CI: 6.27–11.07) were associated with MetS. In adjusted linear regression analysis, aged 60–108 years (beta 1.21, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.37), male sex (beta 0.23, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.34), overweight (beta 0.77, 95% CI 0.64 to 0.90) and obesity (beta 1.27, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.40) were positively and having more than primary education (beta −0.22, 95% CI −0.34 to −0.09) was negatively associated with greater number of MetS components.

Conclusion

Two in five participants had MetS and several associated indicators were found which could be supportive in designing intervention activities.

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Data availability

The data for the current study are publicly available at the World Health Organization NCD Microdata Repository (URL: https://extranet.who.int/ncdsmicrodata/index.php/catalog).

Abbreviations

BP:

Blood pressure

FBG:

Fasting blood glucose

HDL:

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol

MetS:

Metabolic Syndrome

STEPS:

STEPwise approach to surveillance

STATA:

Statistics and data

TG:

Triglycerides

WC:

Waist circumference

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Acknowledgments

The data source, the World Health Organization NCD Microdata Repository (URL: https://extranet.who.int/ncdsmicrodata/index.php/catalog), is hereby acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. ASEAN Institute for Health Development, Mahidol University, Salaya, Phutthamonthon, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand

    Supa Pengpid

  2. Department of Research Administration and Development, University of Limpopo, Polokwane, South Africa

    Supa Pengpid & Karl Peltzer

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  1. Supa Pengpid
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Contributions

All authors fulfil the criteria for authorship. SP and KP conceived and designed the research, performed statistical analysis, drafted the manuscript and made critical revision of the manuscript for key intellectual content. All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript and have agreed to authorship and order of authorship for this manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Karl Peltzer.

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Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the “Republic of Iraq Ministry of Health/Environment Public Health Directorate” and written informed consent was obtained from participants prior to the study [35].

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Not applicable.

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Pengpid, S., Peltzer, K. Prevalence and associated factors of metabolic syndrome among a national population-based sample of 18–108-year-olds in Iraq: results of the 2015 STEPS survey. Int J Diabetes Dev Ctries 41, 427–434 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13410-020-00912-6

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