Abstract
Background: Warning signs of metabolic syndrome (MetS) can appear during
childhood. Early detection and treatment of MetS is likely to reduce morbidity
and mortality in adulthood and help to keep to minimum the global burden of
cardiovascular diseases and type II diabetes. This study aimed to establish the
prevalence and to characterize metabolic syndrome and its individual components
among overweight and obese Palestinian schoolchildren aged 6-<18 years in the
West Bank.
Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in the West Bank-Palestine in
the year 2014. Out of the 840 schoolchildren, 216 (30.7%) were overweight and
obese; 146 of them were evaluated for MetS using the International Diabetes
Federation and modified National Cholesterol Education Program-Third Adult
Treatment Panel definitions.
Results: Using NCEP criteria, MetS was significantly more prevalent in overweight
and obese children (23.3%) than IDF (15.8%) and among boys (22.2% for NCEP
vs 12.3% for IDF) and girls (23.3% for NCEP vs 20.0% for IDF). No sex-specific
differences in the prevalence of MetS between age groups were determined
using both criteria. The prevalence of individual MetS components according
the IDF and NCEP criteria were respectively; (32% and 25.3%) for increased
waist circumference, (15.8% and 37.0%) for increased blood pressure, (9.7% and
24.8%) for increased triglyceride, (57.2% and 55.9%) for low HDL, and (39.7% and
15.8%) for increased fast blood sugar. Clustering of metabolic abnormalities had
significantly increased by increasing body mass index and waist circumferences,
and with decreased HDL and elevated triglyceride.
Conclusions: The prevalence of MetS among overweight and obese Palestinian
schoolchildren is high with dyslipidemia being the most common MetS
abnormality. Regardless the definition used to diagnose MetS among children;
the findings of this study present a serious threat to current and future health of
Palestinian children.
Keywords: Dyslipidemia; Metabolic syndrome; Obesity; Cardiovascular disease; Palestine

Title

Annals of Clinical and Laboratory Research

Publisher

iMedPub Journals

Publisher Country

United States of America

Publication Type

Prtinted only

Volume

6

Year

2018

Pages

242