Prevalence of Metabolic syndrome among adults in a teaching hospital in Kochi, Central Kerala: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome is an aggregation of conditions that together increase the risk of cardiovascular disease in individuals, which would not otherwise be recognized to be at risk. Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of developing diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease and is associated with a number of other disorders. OBJECTIVE: To find the prevalence of Metabolic syndrome in people attending tertiary care center in Kochi, Kerala. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 520 participants attending the comprehensive health checkup clinic of a teaching hospital in Kochi, Kerala, India, for a period of three months were enrolled in the cross-sectional study. Waist circumference, weight, and height were measured and blood was withdrawn for investigations. RESULTS: About 76% (395) of participants met the NCEP: ATP III criteria for Metabolic syndrome. Prevalence of Metabolic syndrome among males was 80.4% and among females was 67.8% (P-value < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Metabolic syndrome was highly prevalent in our population.