Ethnic, gender, and age-related differences in patients with the metabolic syndrome.
The metabolic syndrome is a clustering of cardiovascular risk factors and is associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and kidney disease. Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated differences in prevalence by age, gender, and ethnicity. The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome increases with age through the sixth decade of life among men and seventh decade among women. Most, but not all, studies reported a higher prevalence of the metabolic syndrome among women compared with men. Although the metabolic syndrome is more common among Mexican Americans compared with non-Hispanic whites and blacks, among men the metabolic syndrome is more common among non-Hispanic whites than non-Hispanic blacks; the reverse is true among women. Understanding the basic pathophysiology underlying the metabolic syndrome may help explain the age, gender, and ethnic differences in its prevalence and guide preventive and therapeutic efforts.
Razzouk
Louai
L
Department of Community and Preventive Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1057, New York, NY 10029, USA.
Muntner
Paul
P
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult