Abstract
<b>Objective</b><b>: </b>The metabolic syndrome (MetS) has become one of the major public-health challenges worldwide. Early identification of metabolic complications consist an essential target for youth public health. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of MetS and its components among overweight and obese adolescents. <b>Methods: </b>This cross-sectional study concerned 51 overweight and obese adolescents. Anthropometric assessments, blood pressure measurement and biochemical assessment were done. MetS was defined according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. All data were collected during one academic school year in 2012 and 2013. <b>Results: </b>The prevalence of the MetS was 21.6%. There was no gender difference in prevalence of MetS (P=0.09). Obese subjects had the highest proportion of MetS than overweight (25% vs. 15.8%; p=0.04). 35.3% of subjects had at least two abnormalities of MetS. Abdominal obesity was the most common individual component of the MetS (91.3 %) followed by low HDL cholesterol (58.8%). Body mass index (BMI), Waist circumference (WC), Waist to hip ratio (WRH) and Neck circumference (NC) had partial positive correlation with Blood pressure (BP), and Triglyceride. Similarly, (BP), Triglyceride and HDL cholesterol were significantly higher in subjects with metabolic syndrome than that of subjects without metabolic syndrome (<i>p </i>< 0.05). <b>Conclusion</b><b>: </b>MetS is prevalent in our young population in Sfax City. The results of this study will help in planning to control these problems in the future. So we suggest screening programs for secondary school adolescent to control obesity and MetS in Tunisia.
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