Betel-quid use is associated with the risk of the metabolic syndrome in adults.
BACKGROUND
Betel-quid use has been associated with obesity and hyperglycemia in previous studies.


OBJECTIVE
The aim was to test whether betel-quid use contributes to the metabolic syndrome, as defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III.


METHODS
Associations between betel-quid use and the metabolic syndrome, obesity, hypertriacylglycerolemia, low HDL cholesterol, hyperglycemia, and high blood pressure after adjustment for sex, age, smoking, alcohol drinking, physical activity, and dietary intakes were studied in nonpregnant adults aged 20-64 y (n = 1986) from the Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (1993-1996).


RESULTS
The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was not significantly different between the men and women (10.1% compared with 9.7%), whereas the prevalence of betel-quid use was higher in the men than in the women (31% compared with 2.3%; P < 0.001). The daily rate of betel-quid use was associated with the metabolic syndrome [odds ratio (OR) associated with a betel-quid consumption rate of 10 times/d: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.12, 1.55; P = 0.003], abdominal obesity (OR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.2, 1.7; P = 0.001), hypertriacylglycerolemia (OR: 1.33; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.73; P = 0.037), and high blood pressure (OR: 1.2; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.4; P = 0.04). However, the daily rate of betel-quid use was not associated with low HDL cholesterol or hyperglycemia.


CONCLUSIONS
The daily rate of betel-quid use is independently and positively associated with the metabolic syndrome in adults.
Guh
Jinn-Yuh
JY
Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohs iung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Chuang
Lea-Yea
LY
Chen
Hung-Chun
HC
D000328:Adult; D001114:Areca / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000209:etiology*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology