Endocrine Abstracts

Aim: We assessed in both men and women within different BMI- and age classes the prevalence of MetS and its individual components, since these specific estimates obtained simultaneously in a large western European population are lacking. Secondly, we measured as well how age-specific blood pressure (BP) cut-offs affect the prevalence of elevated BP and MetS.

Methods: Data of 74 531 western European participants, aged 18–79 years, were obtained from the Dutch LifeLines Cohort study. Men and women were categorized into three BMI classes and six age decades. MetS was defined according to the revised NCEP ATP III. Furthermore MetS was defined, using either the recommended cut-off values for elevated BP (≥130/85 mmHg) or age-specific values (≥140/90 mmHg for those aged <60 years, and ≥150/90 mmHg for those aged ≥60 years).

Results: According to the NCEP ATPIII 19.2% of men and 12.1% of women had MetS. Elevated BP and abdominal obesity were the most common MetS components in our population, dominating MetS prevalence especially in women, independent of BMI. In the MetS population, already 65–78% of normal weight women had abdominal obesity (overweight: 95–97% and obese: 100%), while in men this was still only 0–18% (overweight: 35–70% and obese: 93–99%). Applying age-specific BP cut-offs showed a great drop in the prevalence of elevated BP (especially among men <60 years and women ≥60 years) and MetS (in obese men: −9% and obese women: −7%).

Conclusions: The prevalence of MetS components varies strongly between men and women in an age- and BMI dependent manner. Our data indicates a disproportionate contribution of elevated BP to the prevalence of MetS when a conventional cut-off value of 130/85 mmHg is applied. For the MetS diagnosis, we suggest to use age-specific values for elevated BP as well as to establish new thresholds for abdominal obesity.