[Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in the population of Canary Islands, Spain].
OBJECTIVE
The program for the detection of high blood cholesterol in adults (ATP III) has recently published diagnostic criteria for the metabolic syndrome. Its prevalence in the Canarian population is reported here.


METHODS
578 adults, who participated in the Nutritional Survey of the Canary Islands (ENCA 1997-1998) were selected. Metabolic syndrome was fined as the presence of 3 or more criteria.


RESULTS
Three out of every four individuals fulfilled at least one of the criteria. In men, hypertriglyceridemia, hypertension and hyperglycemia predominated. In women, abdominal obesity and low HDL-cholesterol were more common. The global prevalence of the syndrome was 24.4% (95%CI: 19.6-29.8), increasing with age and decreasing with the educational level.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome among adults from the Nutritional Survey of the Canary Islands is high and similar to that observed in the USA (21.8%).
Alvarez León
Eva Elisa
EE
Departamento de Salud Pública, Historia de la Ciencia y Ginecología. Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche. Alicante. Spain.
Ribas Barba
Lourdes
L
Serra Majem
Lluís
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires