Social and Behavioral Factors
are associated with Metabolic Syndrome Components in
Hispanic Adolescents
Susana Mascarell, MD, Nike Mourikes, MD, Meenakshi
Pande, MD1, Carolyn Lopez, MD1 and
Leon Fogelfeld, MD1
1John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County,
Chicago, IL.
To understand
the impact of social, cultural and behavioral factors on development
of metabolic
syndrome (MS), we studied 46 healthy adolescents (26 females and 20
males aged 16-19). Each
patient was scored by the number of metabolic syndrome risk factors (MSF).
In a separate
abstract, we showed that the prevalence of the MS was high (14.7%) with much
higher
prevalence in males. MS and MSF score were associated with higher levels of
atherosclerosis
markers and insulin resistance. In this study, validated surveys with emphasis
on acculturation
factors, physical and sedentary activities and eating attitudes and behaviors
were completed by
the participants.
Family history of diabetes (33%) did not correlate with MSF.
Years living in the US (median
15.5) and higher acculturation score correlated with preference for fat foods,
more frequent visits
to fast food restaurants and more sedentary activities (measures: sedentary
activity score,
sedentary daily/weekly time in hours spent on internet, watching TV, films,
reading, p<0.05 ).
Healthy eating measures (healthy eating behavior score, preferences for fruits
and vegetables and
avoidance of fat foods) did not correlate with MS, MSF score or any of the
individual MSF.
However, they correlated inversely with sedentary activities measures (p<0.05).
Preferences for
high calorie soft drinks were not related to any obesity or MS measures
but inversely related
to healthy eating score (p<0.05) and were higher among males (p<0.05).
Males had also lower
healthy eating scores than females (p<0.05). Higher number of sport activities
(higher in males),
lower sedentary score and daily sedentary time correlated with lower systolic
and diastolic blood
pressure (p<0.05). Higher sedentary life measures (sedentary activity
score, sedentary
daily/weekly time) correlated with MS, MSF score, BMI and waist circumference).
TV watching
time (mean 3.2 2.1 hours/day) correlated with MS, MSF score, BMI and C-reactive
protein
levels.
In this study, increased sedentary activities, especially TV watching
time, emerged as the
strongest factors associated with metabolic syndrome.
This study was supported
by an unrestricted grant from GlaxoSmithKline.
Back
|
