title: [Validity of a single-factor model underlying the metabolic syndrome in young adults: confirmatory factor analysis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine by confirmatory factor analysis whether a model of the metabolic syndrome including waist circumference-to-height ratio, as a measure of adiposity, has better goodness of fit than that based on waist circumference alone and, on the basis of the data of the best-fit model, to develop an index of global cardiometabolic risk in young adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional observational study involving 683 university students aged 18 to 30 years, in their first year at the University of Castilla-La Mancha in Spain, during the 2009-10 academic year. We compared the best fit of 2 models of the metabolic syndrome, both of which included the triglyceride-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio, HOMA-IR index, and mean arterial blood pressure, but differed in that one of them used waist circumference, whereas the other used the waist circumference-to-height ratio. A metabolic syndrome index (MSI) was constructed and its association with aerobic capacity, daily physical activity and muscle strength was estimated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The single-factor model that included waist circumference was a better indicator of goodness of fit. The MSI was inversely associated with aerobic capacity and muscle strength.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study confirms that a single factor underlies the concept of metabolic syndrome; including the waist circumference-to-height ratio does not result in improvements over the model in which waist circumference alone is considered, and the development of a quantitative MSI may be useful for the quantification of cardiometabolic risk in clinical practice.
authors: Centro de Estudios Sociosanitarios, Escuela Universitaria de Enfermería, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, España. Montserrat.Solera@uclm.es
authors: Montserrat
authors: M
authors: Solera-Martínez
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: López-Martínez
authors: Mairena
authors: M
authors: Sánchez-López
authors: Pablo
authors: P
authors: Moya-Martínez
authors: Blanca
authors: B
authors: Notario-Pacheco
authors: Natalia
authors: N
authors: Arias-Palencia
authors: Pablo
authors: P
authors: Franquelo-Morales
authors: Vicente
authors: V
authors: Martínez-Vizcaíno
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010809:Physical Fitness; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D055105:Waist Circumference; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids