Metabolic syndrome and its associated early-life factors in children and adolescents: a cross-sectional study in Guangzhou, China.
OBJECTIVE
The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in 7- to 17-year-old children and adolescents in China and to examine the relationship between MetS and its associated early-life factors.


METHODS
Data were collected using a standard parent/guardian questionnaire in a face-to-face interview. Each participant underwent a complete anthropometric evaluation. MetS was defined according to the criteria of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF; 2007) for children and adolescents.


METHODS
Guangzhou, a large city in South China, September 2013.


METHODS
A total of 1770 children and adolescents were enrolled in the study, including 913 girls (51·6%) and 857 boys (48·4%).


RESULTS
The overall prevalence of MetS in children and adolescents was 1·1% (n 19), which was higher in boys (1·4%) than in girls (0·8%). Multivariate analysis indicated that high birth weight was significantly associated with abdominal obesity (OR=2·86; 95% CI 1·62, 5·06) and MetS (OR=3·61; 95% CI 1·33, 9·82). Furthermore, >6 months of maternal breast-feeding was inversely associated with MetS (OR=0·39; 95% CI 0·16, 0·98).


CONCLUSIONS
Based on IDF criteria, the prevalence of MetS among southern Chinese children was significantly lower than that in other populations. High birth weight was significantly associated with abdominal obesity and MetS, and breast-feeding for longer than 6 months was inversely associated with MetS in South China.
1Department of Maternal and Child Health Care,School of Public Health,Sun Yat-Sen University,Guangzhou 510080,People's Republic of China.
Jiao
J
Wang
1Department of Maternal and Child Health Care,School of Public Health,Sun Yat-Sen University,Guangzhou 510080,People's Republic of China.
Yanna
Y
Zhu
1Department of Maternal and Child Health Care,School of Public Health,Sun Yat-Sen University,Guangzhou 510080,People's Republic of China.
Li
L
Cai
1Department of Maternal and Child Health Care,School of Public Health,Sun Yat-Sen University,Guangzhou 510080,People's Republic of China.
Jin
J
Jing
1Department of Maternal and Child Health Care,School of Public Health,Sun Yat-Sen University,Guangzhou 510080,People's Republic of China.
Yajun
Y
Chen
2Guangzhou Health Care Clinics of Middle and Primary Schools,Guangzhou,People's Republic of China.
Jincheng
J
Mai
1Department of Maternal and Child Health Care,School of Public Health,Sun Yat-Sen University,Guangzhou 510080,People's Republic of China.
Lu
L
Ma
3Institute of Child and Adolescent Health,Public Health of Peking University,Beijing,People's Republic of China.
Yinghua
Y
Ma
3Institute of Child and Adolescent Health,Public Health of Peking University,Beijing,People's Republic of China.
Jun
J
Ma
D000293:Adolescent; D044466:Asian People; D001724:Birth Weight; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides
Metabolic syndrome; Nutrition; Obesity; Paediatric