title: Metabolic Syndrome and Its Components: Secondary analysis of the World Health Survey, Oman.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study aimed to describe the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) and its components among Omani adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 2008 Oman World Health Survey dataset was used to determine the national prevalence of MS. Logistic regression using all key sociodemographic, clinical and behavioural variables was used to identify the associations of independent variables with MS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The age-adjusted prevalence of MS was 23.6%. MS was significantly associated with age, marital and work status and wealth level. MS was more common for people aged 50 years and older compared to the youngest cohort (OR 3.6, CI: 2.4-5.3; P <0.001) and in people who were married or employed (OR 1.6, CI: 1.3-2.1; P <0.001 and OR 1.3, CI: 1.1-1.8; P = 0.043, respectively) compared to their unmarried and unemployed counterparts. MS was also more common in people in the second lowest wealth quintile (OR 1.6, CI: 1.2-2.2; P = 0.05) compared to the lowest quintile and in those who sat for more than six hours per day (OR 1.3, CI: 1.1-1.7; P = 0.035).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One in four adults had MS in Oman. This may fuel the epidemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Oman, particularly given the increasingly elderly population. Urgent action is required to ensure quality patient care at all levels of the healthcare system. Further research on behavioural risk factors is needed. Developing and implementing a multisectoral strategy to prevent NCDs should be at the top of the current health agenda for Oman.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Research & Studies, Ministry of Health;
authors.forename: Mahmoud Abd
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: El-Aty
authors.affiliation: Office of the World Health Organization, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mabry
authors.affiliation: Departments of Research & Studies, Ministry of Health;
authors.forename: Magdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morsi
authors.affiliation: Non-Communicable Diseases Surveillance & Control, Directorate General of Health Affairs, Ministry of Health;
authors.forename: Jawad
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Al-Lawati
authors.affiliation: Departments of Research & Studies, Ministry of Health;
authors.forename: Asya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Riyami
authors.affiliation: Information & Statistics, Directorate General of Planning, Ministry of Health;
authors.forename: Medhat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El-Sayed
keywords: Chronic Diseases; Epidemiology; Metabolic Syndrome X; Oman; Public Health