Dietary and Lifestyle Factors Associated With Metabolic Syndrome in Urban Middle-Aged Women of Babol City, Mazandaran Province, Iran

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of interconnected cardiovascular risk factors. Existing data suggest that it has reached an alarming rate, and it is found more common in women than in men. Obesity plays a central role in metabolic syndrome and it has become a common factor among Iranian women. Accordingly, it is important to elucidate both lifestyle and dietary factors to the development of metabolic syndrome among middle-aged women so as to prevent and manage the syndrome in a much better way. The research design of the present thesis was a population-based cross-sectional study, and the criteria by the NCEP ATP III were used to classify subjects with metabolic syndrome. Meanwhile, their physical activities were measured using the original International Physical Activity Questionnaires Long form. Food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was also used in assessing individual’s habitual intake. A total of 984 individuals, aged 30-50 year old from fourteen active urban primary healthcare centres in Babol (Iran), were selected using a systematic random sampling method and sampling proportionate to size. Thus, lifestyle factors associated with metabolic syndrome were analyzed. Among the Babolian middle-aged women living in the urban area, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was found to be 31.0 %. Overweight and abdominal obesity were also observed, and these were found around 38.0 % and 76.6 %, respectively. Older age, higher waist circumference, higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure, low education level, housewife and occupation (technician) were found to be associated with the increased odds of metabolic syndrome. Nevertheless, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) showed no significant associations between metabolic syndrome and smoking or the exposure to cigarette smoking. The moderate intensity of the physical activities was positively associated with systolic blood pressure (rho=0.07, p=0.03), cholesterol (rho=0.07, p=0.04), and triglyceride (rho=0.67, p=0.04). Meanwhile, vigorous physical activity was inversely correlated with waist circumference (rho=-0.07, p=0.04). Their total physical activity was found to be positively correlated with triglyceride (rho=0.09, p= 0.01), but was inversely correlated with HDL-cholesterol (rho=-0.07, p=0.04). The chi-square test did not reveal any statistically significant difference in the levels of the physical activities between these women, either with or without metabolic syndrome. The mean total kilocalories consumed per day were 2965. The study also suggests that a good dietary pattern which is rich in fruit, legumes, vegetables, cereals, and fish (component 1), as well as the high intakes of dairy products and eggs (component 4) decrease the likelihood of metabolic syndrome. The adjusted OR for metabolic syndrome in women with low fat intake was significantly higher than in those women with high and moderate fat intake (OR=2.923; 95% CI=1.36, 6.28). The risk of metabolic syndrome for women in the first quartile category of calcium was found to be higher than those in the highest quartile (OR=13.200; 95% CI =7.94, 21.93), and in the lowest category of black tea was indicated as lower than those in the highest categories (OR=0.181; 95% CI =0.11, 0.31). The findings of the present study indicated that a high prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome was identified among the middle-aged women, making this syndrome one of the major public health problems in Babol. Therefore, it is necessary to emphasize on the benefits of lifestyle modifications, including weight loss, and the intakes or consumption of more fruit, legumes, vegetables, cereals, fish, dairy products, and the increase in the intakes of food containing calcium in reducing the risk of metabolic syndrome

Physical activity, nutrition, and dyslipidemia in middle-aged women

Background: Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of death throughout the world. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of overweight/obesity, central obesity, hypertension and dyslipidemia, as well as dietary factors contributing to the development of dyslipidemia among middle-aged women. Methods: The research design of the present study was a population-based cross-sectional study; anthropometric measures and blood chemistry were obtained. Physical activity was measured using the original International Physical Activity Questionnaires Long Form while food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used in assessing individual's habitual intake. Overall, 809 women, 30-50 years of age from fourteen active urban Primary Healthcare Centers (PHC) in Babol City, northern Iran, were obtained from 1,905 households across operational areas of 14 PHC using systematic random sampling method. Results: The prevalence rates of women classified as overweight/obese, with central obesity, hypertension and dyslipidemia were 82.8%, 75.5%, 14.6% and 63.4%, respectively. Total physical activity did not correlate with cholesterol ratio. Soybean protein was inversely associated with cholesterol ratio (rho=-0.18, P≤ 0.001). The adjusted OR for dyslipidemia in women with moderate protein intake was significantly higher than in women with high and low intake (OR=2.31; 95% CI= 1.61, 3.30). No significant associations were found between dyslipidemia and carbohydrate, fat intake or physical activity. Conclusion: This study showed very high prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors among Iranian middle-aged women. A more detailed study is suggested to develop definitively recommendations for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease for the Iranian population

Risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome in Iranian middle aged women

Background: Metabolic syndrome, which is linked to increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, is increasing in Iran due to rapid nutrition transition and the nature of obesity epidemic. Objective: The aimed of the study was to examine risk factors contributing to the development of the metabolic syndrome in urban middle-aged women, living in Babol, Mazandaran, Iran. Methods: The research design of the present study was a population-based cross-sectional study, and the criteria by the NCEP ATP III were used to classify subjects with the metabolic syndrome. Meanwhile, their physical activities were measured using the original International Physical Activity Questionnaires Long form. Food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was also used in assessing individual's habitual intake. A total of 809 individuals, aged 30-50 year old from fourteen active urban Primary Healthcare Centers in Babol (Iran), were selected using a systematic random sampling method and probability sampling proportionate to size. Results: The odds ratios across tertiles of food group intakes showed that the highest tertile of vegetables and fruits consumption were associated both with a reduced risk of the metabolic syndrome after adjustment for age, physical activity, education level, total energy intake and total fat. The highest tertile of bread and grain especially white rice consumption was with an increased risk of the metabolic syndrome after adjustment for confounders. No significant associations were found between the metabolic syndrome and level of physical activity. Conclusions: It is necessary to emphasize the benefits of consumption of more vegetables and fruit in reducing the risk of the metabolic syndrome

Dietary patterns and the metabolic syndrome in middle aged women, Babol, Iran

It is important to elucidate the dietary factors contributing to the development of metabolic syndrome among middle-aged women to better prevent and manage the syndrome. The objective was to determine the relationship between dietary intake and metabolic syndrome in urban Babolian middle-aged women. Systematic random sampling was used to select 984 women 30-50 years of age from urban area of Babol, Mazandaran, Iran. Dietary patterns were evaluated using a food frequency questionnaire. The ATP III criteria were used to classify study participants as having the metabolic syndrome. Correlations of component foods with indices of the metabolic syndrome were assessed using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (rho). The adjusted odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals were obtained for the nutrient groups. Mean total kilocalories consumed per day were 2965. The study suggests that a good dietary pattern that is rich in fruits, legumes, vegetables, cereals, and fish (component 1), as well as high intake of dairy products and eggs (components 4) decrease the likelihood of having metabolic syndrome. The adjusted OR for the metabolic syndrome in women with low fat intake was higher than in women with high and moderate fat (OR= 2.92; 95% CI= 1.36, 6.28). It is necessary to emphasize the benefits of lifestyle modification, including losing weight, and consumption of more fruits, legumes, vegetables, cereals, fish, dairy products in reducing the risk of the metabolic syndrome in middle aged women