Low serum high density lipoprotein is associated with the greatest risk of metabolic syndrome among U.S. adults

Abstract

AimsBetter understanding risk factors for metabolic syndrome (MetS) will allow early targeted intervention to mitigate long term risk. We aim to determine the disparate impact of each individual MetS component on overall risk of developing MetS, stratified by sex, race/ethnicity, and age. MethodsUsing data from the 2003–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), MetS prevalence among adults (age ≥18) was stratified by sex, race/ethnicity, age, and by individual MetS components (e.g. hypertension (HTN), diabetes mellitus (DM), waist circumference, serum high density lipoprotein (HDL), serum triglycerides (TG). Mutlivariate logistic regression models were used to evaluate the disparate impact of each risk factor on MetS risk. ResultsOverall MetS prevalence was 33.3%, with the highest prevalence among older individuals, among women, and among Hispanics. When stratified by each individual component of MetS, low serum HDL was the strongest predictor of MetS risk overall and among both men and women, among all race/ethnic groups, and among all age groups (overall: OR 20.1, 95% CI 18.6–21.7). While presence of DM also increased an individual’s risk of MetS, DM was the weakest predictor of MetS. ConclusionsAmong U.S. adults, low serum HDL carries the strongest risk in predicting development of MetS. This effect was seen among men and women, among all race/ethnic groups, and among all age groups, highlighting the importance of low serum HDL as a marker of MetS risk.