The factor structure of the metabolic syndrome in obese individuals with binge eating disorder.
OBJECTIVE
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is strongly linked with cardiovascular disease and type-II diabetes, but there has been debate over which metabolic measures constitute MetS. Obese individuals with binge eating disorder (BED) are one of the high risk populations for developing MetS due to their excess weight and maladaptive eating patterns, yet, the clustering patterns of metabolic measures have not been examined in this patient group.


METHODS
347 adults (71.8% women) were recruited for treatment studies for obese individuals with BED. We used the VARCLUS procedure in the Statistical Analysis System (SAS) to investigate the clustering pattern of metabolic risk measures.


RESULTS
The analysis yielded four factors: obesity (body-mass-index [BMI] and waist circumference), lipids (HDL and triglycerides), blood pressure (systolic and diastolic blood pressure), and glucose regulation (fasting serum glucose and Hb1Ac). The four factors accounted for 84% of the total variances, and variances explained by each factor were not substantially different. There was no inter-correlation between the four factors. Subgroup analyses by sex and by race (Caucasian vs. African American) yielded the same four-factor structure.


CONCLUSIONS
The factor structure of MetS in obese individuals with BED is not different from those found in normative population studies. This factor structure may be applicable to the diverse population.
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. Electronic address: tomoko.udo@yale.edu.
Tomoko
T
Udo
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
Sherry A
SA
McKee
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
Marney A
MA
White
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
Robin M
RM
Masheb
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
Rachel D
RD
Barnes
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
Carlos M
CM
Grilo
D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017668:Age of Onset; D056912:Binge-Eating Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001823:Body Composition; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D001786:Blood Glucose; D014280:Triglycerides
Binge eating disorders; Factor analysis; Metabolic syndrome; Obesity; Treatment sample