Association of marital status and marital transition with metabolic syndrome: tehran lipid and glucose study.
BACKGROUND
Most existing reports indicate that body weight gradually increases following marital status and thereby enhances health status and decreases mortality; however, the association between marital status and the metabolic syndrome (MetS) has not been thoroughly investigated in a longitudinal study.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the potential effects of marital status and marital transition on MetS during a 9.6-year follow-up in Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study.


METHODS
For this study, 5221 participants (2060 males and 3161 females), aged 15 to 90 years at baseline, were followed for a median of 9.6 years. Marital status was categorized as consistent marital status and marital transition. We measured MetS risk z score and its components and calculated their changes. Then the effects of marital status and marital transition on MetS risk z score and its components were assessed using multivariable linear regression.


RESULTS
In comparison to participants who were married, no significant changes in MetS risk z score was found in single participants. Employed females in the transition to married group had significant increase in MetS risk z score than single employed females. No significant changes in MetS risk z score were observed between widowed/divorced subjects and compared to consistently married subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Marital status may affect MetS risk z score differently in both genders.
Nutrition and Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran ; Obesity Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Somayeh
S
Hosseinpour-Niazi
Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Parvin
P
Mirmiran
Nutrition and Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Farhad
F
Hosseinpanah
Nutrition and Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran ; Obesity Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Arefeh
A
Fallah-Ghohroudy
Endocrine Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Fereidoun
F
Azizi
Marital Status; Marital Transition; Metabolic Syndrome X