Comparison of risk variables associated with the metabolic syndrome in pre- and postmenopausal Bengalee women

BACKGROUND Clustering of risk variables associated with the metabolic syndrome (MS) begins before the onset of menopause. However, studies of the factors underlying this clustering have focused on only postmenopausal women. AIM The present community-based, cross-sectional investigation was aimed at identifying the principal components of risk variables associated with the metabolic syndrome in pre- and postmenopausal Bengalee women. METHODS A total of 200 (100 premenopausal women; mean age = 40.2 +/- 6.5 years and 100 postmenopausal women; mean age = 55.4 +/- 5.2 years) healthy adult (30 years and older) Bengalee women took part in the study. Obesity measures, metabolic profiles and blood pressures were taken. Principal components factor analysis (PCFA) was used to identify the principal components of the MS. RESULTS There were significant differences between the two groups for obesity measures, metabolic profiles and blood pressure, even after adjusting for age. PCFA revealed three uncorrelated factors with a 67.1% explanation in the premenopausal women. Four factors, with overlapping between the first three factors, and a 73% explanation were evident for the postmenopausal women. CONCLUSION Since more than one factor was identified, more than one physiological mechanism could have accounted for clustering of the risk variables associated with the MS and this would warrant early intervention, well before the menopause.