title: Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome and its individual components in Brazilian college students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome and its individual components in a population of college students at a public higher education institution in Fortaleza, Brazil.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Scientific evidence has demonstrated the ascent of the metabolic syndrome in the young population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study of 702 Brazilian college students between January-July 2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  Socio-demographic indicators, life habits and the components of the metabolic syndrome were assessed. anova statistical tests were used to associate gender with the metabolic syndrome components, and the chi-square test to associate the number of metabolic syndrome components with gender and body mass index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High fasting venous glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol and LDL-C levels were found in 12·3, 23·0, 9·7 and 5·9% of the sample, respectively. The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome amounted to 1·7%. Nevertheless, 30·4% of students manifested at least one and 12·4% at least two individual components. The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was higher in men (58·3%) and in people who were overweight (33·3%) and obese (41·7%). It is important to implement public health policies to reduce college students' vulnerability to the metabolic syndrome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most college students who displayed ≥3 metabolic syndrome components were men and already indicated being overweight and/or obesity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is important that nurses assess the frequency of metabolic syndrome in college students as a predictor of cardiovascular health.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Piauí Floriano, Brazil.
authors.forename: Roberto Wagner F
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: de Freitas
authors.forename: Márcio Flávio M
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: de Araújo
authors.forename: Niciane Bandeira P
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Marinho
authors.forename: Hérica Cristina A
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: de Vasconcelos
authors.forename: Adman Câmara S
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Dayse Christina R
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Paulo César
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Maria Lúcia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Zanetti
authors.forename: Marta Maria C
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Damasceno
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D013334:Students; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol