title: Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome and its influencing factors among adolescent girls in Mashhad, Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study sought to determine the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome, one of the major public-health challenges worldwide, and its influencing factors among 15 to 17 years old adolescent girls in Mashhad, Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 622 high school adolescents participated in a cross-sectional study. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess socio-demographic characteristics and dietary habits. Anthropometric assessments, blood pressure measurement and biochemical assessment were done.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Applying BMI Z-score for age and gender (WHO 2007), 14.6 % and 3.4 % of subjects were classified as overweight and obese, respectively. Enlarged WC (> 80 cm) was seen in 9.5% of subjects. The prevalence of combined hypertension was 6.1% which was increased by the severity of obesity. A total of 24.5% of subjects had hypertriglyceridemia and 57% of them had low level of HDL-cholesterol. Hyperglycemia was present in 16.7% of subjects. Based on the NCEP ATP III (2001) criteria, the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was 6.5% and increased to 45.1% in obese subjects. Increasing BMI or WC, led to significant increment in the number of metabolic syndrome features (p < 0.001). High socioeconomic status of family, medical history of parents and dietary habits especially high consumption of carbohydrates were influencing factors in the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Approximately 6.5% of all and 45% of obese subjects met the criteria for the metabolic syndrome. Dietary habits especially carbohydrate consumption, socioeconomic status of family and medical history of parents can be influential factors in the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Allied Health Science, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Naghmeh-Zahra
authors.initials: NZ
authors.lastname: Mirhosseini
authors.forename: Noor Aini Mohd
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Yusoff
authors.forename: Suzana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shahar
authors.forename: Syyed Mohahhad Reza
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Parizadeh
authors.forename: Majid Ghayour
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Mobarhen
authors.forename: Mohammad Taghi
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Shakery