Education and the metabolic syndrome in women.
OBJECTIVE
The main objective was to examine the association between the metabolic syndrome and socioeconomic position (as indicated by education) among women.


METHODS
The study sample comprised healthy women (aged 30-65 years) in Sweden who were representative of the general population in a metropolitan area. Socioeconomic position was measured by educational level (mandatory [< or = 9 years], high school, or college/university). The metabolic syndrome was defined as the presence of two or more of the following components: 1) fasting plasma glucose level > or = 7.0 mmol/l; 2) arterial blood pressure > or = 160/90 mmHg; 3) fasting plasma triglycerides > or = 1.7 mmol/l and/or HDL cholesterol < 1.0 mmol/l; and 4) central obesity (waist-to-hip ratio > 0.85 and/or BMI > 30 kg/m2).


RESULTS
After adjustment for age, the risk ratio for the presence of the metabolic syndrome comparing the lowest (< or = 9 years) with the highest (college/university) education was 2.7 (95% CI 1.1-6.8). This association persisted after controlling for menopausal status, family history of diabetes, and behavioral risk factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Low education is associated with increased risk for metabolic syndrome in middle-aged women. These findings show that not only are women with low socioeconomic position at increased risk for individual risk factors that are associated with cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, they are also at increased risk for the metabolic clustering of risk factors.
Wamala
S P
SP
Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. sarah.wamala@phs.ki.se
Lynch
J
J
Horsten
M
M
Mittleman
M A
MA
Schenck-Gustafsson
K
K
Orth-Gomér
K
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001824:Body Constitution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D004522:Educational Status; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D013548:Sweden; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*; D014944:World Health Organization
D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides