Comparison of Metabolic Syndrome Indicators in Two Samples of Central and South Americans Living in the Washington, D.C. Area in 1993–1994 and 2008–2009: Secular Changes in Metabolic Syndrome in Hispanics

The Central and South American populations are growing rapidly in the US; however, there is a paucity of information about their health status. Objectives: we estimated the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its individual components from two cohorts of Central and South Americans. Methods: This cross-sectional, medical record extraction survey sampled 1641 adults from a Washington, D.C clinic. A questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic, medical history, anthropometric, biochemical, and clinical data. Results: among the 1993–1994 cohort, the MetS prevalence was 19.7%. The most prevalent MetS components were low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (40.4% men and 51.3% women), elevated triglycerides (40.9% men and 33.1% women), and high body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m(2) (27.6% men and 36.6% women). The overall prevalence of MetS in the 2008–2009 cohort was 28%. The most common abnormal metabolic indicator was an elevated BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2) (75.6%). 43.2% of men and 50.7% of women had HDL levels below normal, while the prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia was 46.5% and 32.5% for men and women, respectively. Conclusion: the prevalence of MetS was significantly greater in 2008–2009 compared with 1993–1994 (p ≤ 0.05). Dyslipidemia and high BMI have increased. Although similar components were identified in both the 1993–1994 and 2008–2009 study populations, the risks of MetS have increased over time.