An update on the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
Our goal was to provide an update on the worldwide prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in children and adolescents.


METHODS
The Medline and Embase databases were searched for articles published between August 2007 and January 2009, in which the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was analyzed in populations aged between 2 and 19 years, using several recognized definitions. Diagnostic criteria were extracted for the MetS and prevalence rates by sex, age group, body mass index status and ethnicity.


RESULTS
A total of 36 studies were included. The prevalence estimates from general population and community-based sampling ranged form 1.2% to 22.6% with rates of up to 60% observed in the overweight and obese.


CONCLUSIONS
This update shows that the metabolic syndrome remains a major worldwide health concern in children and adolescents, particularly amongst the obese. Suggestions for future research include establishing which individual components of the MetS cluster confer the most risk on future morbidity.
Tailor
Ameet M
AM
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Imperial College London, UK.
Peeters
Petra H M
PH
Norat
Teresa
T
Vineis
Paolo
P
Romaguera
Dora
D
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult