Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in elementary school children.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MS) and its related components in elementary-aged school children.


METHODS
Three hundred and seventy-five 7-9-y-old boys (n=182) and girls (n=193) in the eastern Kansas area served as participants. Criteria for the MS were the presence of three or more of the following components: 1) central obesity (waist circumference>or=90th percentile in males and females); 2) elevated triglyceride concentrations (>or=1.13 mmol/l); 3) low HDL-C concentrations (<or=1.04 mmol/l in males and females); 4) elevated blood pressure (systolic and/or diastolic>or=90th percentile, age and gender specific); or 5) elevated fasting glucose levels (>or=6.10 mmol/l).


RESULTS
The prevalence of the MS in this sample was 5%, and was similar across gender and race. Fifty percent of the children had no components and 15% had at least two components, with elevated blood pressure the most common component (37%).


CONCLUSIONS
The MS is prevalent even in young children at rates similarly reported in adolescents.
DuBose
Katrina D
KD
Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies, Center for Physical Activity and Weight Management, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA. dubosek@ecu.edu
Stewart
Elizabeth E
EE
Charbonneau
Shannon R
SR
Mayo
Matthew S
MS
Donnelly
Joseph E
JE
D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007615:Kansas; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*