The Change of Metabolic Syndrome Prevalence and Its Risk Factors in Korean Adults for Decade: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 2008–2017

ABSTRACT

Background@#Metabolic syndrome is a nationwide health problem, which is associated with the development of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and chronic renal failure. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Korea significantly increased from 1998 to 2007. After that, the prevalence was stable in female but still increasing in male. The objective of this study was to evaluate how the prevalence and risk factors for metabolic syndrome changed in Korean adults through the last decade. @*Methods@#Data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008 to 2017 was used. National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III were used to define metabolic syndrome. We compared how each metabolic syndrome component and the risk factors changed through the years. @*Results@#A total of 51,177 (30,092 female and 21,085 male) people were included in this study. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in male increased from 24.5% in 2008 to 28.1% in 2017, whereas that in female was stable at 20.5% in 2008 from 18.7% in 2017. Waist circumference measurements and fasting glucose levels increased through the decade in male, whereas only fasting glucose levels increased in female. @*Conclusion@#Since the last decade, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Korean adults has increased in male but remained stable in female. Lifestyle intervention in male, namely ceasing smoking and drinking could prevent increasing metabolic syndrome prevalence in Korean adults.