Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its risk factors among medical undergraduates at Northern Border University, Arar, Saudi Arabia

Ehtisham Khyzer¹, Tehreem Aftab²

¹Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Northern Border University, PO Box 1321, Arar 91431, Saudi Arabia; ²Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Northern Border University, PO Box 1321, Arar 91431, Saudi Arabia.

For correspondence:- Tehreem Aftab Email: tehreem_aftab@yahoo.com Tel:+966591306387

Accepted: 27 March 2024 Published: 30 April 2024

Citation: Khyzer E, Aftab T. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its risk factors among medical undergraduates at Northern Border University, Arar, Saudi Arabia. Trop J Pharm Res 2024; 23(4):737-745 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v23i4.9

© 2024 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its associated factors among medical undergraduates of Northern Border University.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 200 medical undergraduates of Northern Border University, Arar, Saudi Arabia from August 2023 to October 2023. Data on demographic details and anthropometric measurements were collected. Complete lipid profile and blood glucose levels were measured after at least 8-h fast. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) recommendations were utilized for diagnosing MetS. The data obtained were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 20.0. Group differences were analyzed using Chi-square test and Post hoc analysis.

Results: The estimated overall prevalence of MetS was 21.5 %. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) was more prevalent among older students (37.36 %) and obese students (45.28 %) than among younger and non-obese students. Female students had a higher prevalence of MetS (29 %) than their male counterparts (14 %). The most frequent risk factors for MetS were elevated waist circumference (36 %) and low HDL levels (33 %). The majority of students (76.7 %) with high waist circumference had 2 or more risk factors for MetS. Students with a positive family history of hypertension and obesity showed greater prevalence of MetS.

Conclusion: The study has demonstrated a high prevalence of MetS among young adults in Arar, Saudi Arabia. High prevalence of obesity and elevated waist circumference suggests that early and targeted interventions are required to prevent the development of MetS and cardiovascular risk in later life.

Keywords: Metabolic syndrome, Lipid profiles, Body mass index, Cardiovascular risk factor, Anthropometrics