title: Metabolic syndrome does not detect metabolic risk in African men living in the U.S.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Metabolic risk and metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) prevalence were compared in Africans who immigrated to the U.S. and African Americans. If MetSyn were an effective predictor of cardiometabolic risk, then the group with a worse metabolic risk profile would have a higher rate of MetSyn.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional analyses were performed on 95 men (39 Africans, 56 African Americans, age 38 ± 6 years [mean ± SD]). Glucose tolerance was determined by oral glucose tolerance test, visceral adipose tissue (VAT) was determined by computerized tomography, and MetSyn was determined by the presence of three of five factors: central obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, low levels of HDL cholesterol, hypertension, and fasting hyperglycemia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MetSyn prevalence was similar in Africans and African Americans (10 vs. 13%, P = 0.74), but hypertension, glycemia (fasting and 2-h glucose), and VAT were higher in Africans.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  African immigrants have a worse metabolic profile than African Americans but a similar prevalence of MetSyn. Therefore, MetSyn may underpredict metabolic risk in Africans.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Obesity Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Ugochi J
authors.initials: UJ
authors.lastname: Ukegbu
authors.forename: Darleen C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Castillo
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.forename: Madia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ricks
authors.forename: Bernard V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Barbara M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Onumah
authors.forename: Anne E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Sumner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D044383:Black People; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL