title: High prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in Iranian adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  No evidence exists regarding the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in adolescents in Middle Eastern countries. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in a representative sample of Iranian adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anthropometry, biochemical measurements, and blood pressure were assessed in a population-based cross-sectional study of 3036 Iranian adolescents (1413 boys and 1623 girls) 10 to 19 years of age. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to modified Adult Treatment Panel III definition. Overweight (> or = 95th percentile) and at risk for overweight (> or = 85th to < 95th percentile) was defined based on the standardized percentile curves of BMI suggested for Iranian adolescents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was 10.1% (95% confidence interval: 9.0 to 11.1) among Iranian adolescents (boys: 10.3%, 8.6 to 11.8; girls: 9.9%, 8.4 to 11.3). Overall, low serum high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and high serum triglycerides were the most common components of the metabolic syndrome (42.8% and 37.5%, respectively). Overweight subjects had the highest proportion of metabolic syndrome compared with those at risk for overweight and those with normal weight (boys: 41.1% vs. 11.4% and 3.0%, respectively, p < 0.01; girls: 43% vs. 15.2% and 5.0%, respectively, p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides evidence showing a high prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in Iranian adolescents, particularly among overweight adolescents.
authors.affiliation: Endocrine Research Center, Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Esmaillzadeh
authors.forename: Parvin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mirmiran
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Azadbakht
authors.forename: Arash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Etemadi
authors.forename: Fereidoun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Azizi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D050177:Overweight / Q000208:ethnology; D015995:Prevalence; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides