title: Prevalence and associated factors of cardio-metabolic risk factors in Iranian seafarers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Since Iran's economy is based on the sale of petroleum products, seafaring is considered a crucial job. Little research has been done on issues related to seafarers' health in Iranian maritime industry. The present study investigated the prevalence and associated factors of cardio-metabolic risk factors in seafarers of National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC).
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was performed on 234 Iranian male seafarers of NITC in 2015. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) was diagnosed according to the reports of National Committee of Obesity. Three main blood parameters (of elevated total cholesterol, elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and elevated very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) and general obesity were included as additional cardio-metabolic risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the participants was 36.0 ± 10.3 years. The prevalence of MetS was 14.9%. The common cardio-metabolic risk factors were excess weight (51.1%), abdominal obesity (38.5%), and smoking (27.8%) among Iranian seafarers. In multivariate analysis, age (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01-1.09) and body mass index (OR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.01-1.27) were associated with the increase in hypertension risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our finding showed that the current prevalence of MetS among Iranian male seafarers working on tankers can affect negatively their health and career at sea.
authors.forename: Fereshteh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baygi
authors.forename: Olaf C
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qorbani
authors.forename: Aliasghar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farshad
authors.forename: Seyed Ali
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Salehi
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mohammadi-Nasrabadi
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Asayesh
authors.affiliation: Occupational Health Research Centre, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. farzadshidfar@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Farzad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shidfar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009326:Naval Medicine; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: cardiovascular; metabolic syndrome; prevalence; seafarer