Metabolic syndrome-related markers in obese university students in Kagoshima, Japan: Implications of uric acid and plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1

Abstract

Aim Although lifestyle changes in university students are highly influential in causing their later obese-related diseases, there is still limited knowledge about obese university students. Metabolic syndrome-related markers and conditions were investigated among obese students in Kagoshima University, Japan. Methods We evaluated 46 obese students (31 males and 15 females), with high body mass index (BMI) (≥30), aged between 18 and 24 years, and who were recruited at university annual health check-ups in 2006 and 2007. All subjects underwent measurement of waist circumference, laboratory evaluations for the diagnostic criteria (Japan Metabolic Syndrome Criteria Study Group) and levels of uric acid and plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1), and behavioral assessments using a questionnaire about personal and lifestyle factors. Results 39.1% of the obese university students fulfilled the criteria for metabolic syndrome. In the metabolic syndrome constituents, higher prevalence was obtained in hypertension and hypertriglyceridemia. Levels of uric acid and PAI-1 were high with statistical significance in metabolic syndrome. A broader expansion of positive correlations between PAI-1 and the metabolic syndrome components as compared with those of uric acid suggested the important roles of PAI-1 in the pathological processes or outcomes of metabolic syndrome. Conclusion Our findings suggested that strategies to prevent hypertension and/or dyslipidemia are important for the prophylaxis of metabolic syndrome in university students, and that dietary fat lowering has a prophylactic importance in the control of hyperuricemia. Furthermore, a causal relationship between the regularly missed breakfasts and metabolic syndrome was suggested.