Household income is associated with the risk of metabolic syndrome in a sex-specific manner.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the relationship between household income and metabolic syndrome in men and women.


METHODS
A total of 1,695 men and 1,664 women, aged 35-64 years, from three distinct geographical areas of France were investigated. Waist girth, plasma triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, glucose, and systolic blood pressure were used to define metabolic syndrome according to the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP)/Adult Treatment Panel III (ATPIII) guidelines. Household income, educational level, occupational category, working status, consumption of psychotropic drugs, accommodation status, household composition, physical activity at work and during leisure time, alcohol consumption, and smoking habits were recorded with a standardized questionnaire.


RESULTS
There were 390 (23.0%) men and 381 (16.9%) women who satisfied NCEP/ATPIII criteria for metabolic syndrome. Household income (P < 0.0001) and consumption of psychotropic drugs (P = 0.0005) were associated with metabolic syndrome in women but not in men. In contrast, educational level, occupational category, working status, and accommodation status were associated with metabolic syndrome in both men and women. After adjustment on lifestyle variables, household income (interaction P < 0.004) remained inversely associated with metabolic syndrome in women but not in men.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that limited household income, which reflects a complex unfavorable social and economic environment, may increase the risk of metabolic syndrome in a sex-specific manner.
Dallongeville
Jean
J
Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U 508, Institut Pasteur de Lille, 1 rue du Pr Calmette, 59019 Lille Cedex, France. jean.dallongeville@pasteur-lille.fr
Cottel
Dominique
D
Ferrières
Jean
J
Arveiler
Dominique
D
Bingham
Annie
A
Ruidavets
Jean Bernard
JB
Haas
Bernadette
B
Ducimetière
Pierre
P
Amouyel
Philippe
P
D000328:Adult; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009790:Occupations; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012923:Social Class