The Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome and Associated Risk Factors in Northern Plains and Southwest American Indians

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome by age, sex, and diabetes status in Northern Plains and Southwest American Indians. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Data for this analysis came from the Education and Research Toward Health (EARTH) study, a 5-year cross-sectional study of Southwest and Northern Plains American Indian adults. The National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP/ATP III) guidelines were used to identify adults with metabolic syndrome. RESULTS: The age-adjusted prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was 49.8% among 4,457 participants aged 18–88 years. Age-adjusted prevalence was 42.4% for participants without diabetes and 86.6% for participants with diabetes. In participants aged <40 years, the overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 53.1%; 44.9% after excluding individuals with diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms a high prevalence of the metabolic syndrome among Northern Plains and Southwest American Indians of all ages.