The Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in Weight Groups among Children and Adolescents of Ahvaz

The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome at different weight groups in children and adolescents of Ahvaz. In this cross-sectional study 2258 children and adolescents 10-19 years old (1119 males and 1139 females) were assessed. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome (M.S) according to modified ATPIII criteria in children and adolescence of normal weight, at risk of overweight, and overweight were evaluated for both sexes. SPSS software 19 was used for statistical analysis. Prevalence of M.S was 9% and significantly higher in males (P=0.0001). The prevalence of M.S in three weight groups normal, at risk for overweight, and overweight was 7.6%, 13.7%, and 24.1%, respectively (P=0.0001). The prevalence of the syndrome in moderate and severe overweight was 5.6% and 26.9%, respectively. The Prevalence of M.S increased with weight gain in both sexes and was higher in males.