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.