Prevalence of metabolic syndrome components in 18-year-olds : assessment of changes during one-year observation

The results of recent studies indicate an increase occurrence of components of metabolic syndrome (MS) in adults as well as in children and adolescents. Limited data are available concerning prevalence of MS components among young adults, or studies showing the direction of changes in these risk factors in the final stage of adolescence. To assess the occurrence of components of MS and their changes within a one-year observation period in a group of youth graduating from a secondary school. The study was carried out twice, with a 12-month interval, among 141 secondary school students aged 17–19. The study involved the measurements of waist circumference and blood pressure (BP) as well as concentrations of HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG) and venous blood glucose. The results were assessed on the basis of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria from the year 2007. In the statistical analyses the value of p < 0.05 was set as the significance level. Within a 12 months observation period, a significant increase in the number of individuals whose waist circumference fulfilled the criteria of MS diagnosing; in entire group (p = 0.004) and in women (p = 0.009). The occurrence of elevated values of BP increased significantly in the assessed group (p < 0.001) and in men (p < 0.001). After a year a significant increase in the mean values was observed concerning waist circumference (p < 0.001) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) (p < 0.001), both in women (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001) and in men (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001). An increase in TG concentration (p = 0.016) was registered among studied men. The significant increase in the occurrence of components of MS observed within 12 months across the assessed youth reveals a need to identify and monitor these changes in order to undertake effective actions for health promotion.