Abdollah Mohammadian-Hafshejani1, Nizal Sarrafzadegan2, Masoumeh Sadeghi3. 1. PhD Candidate, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan AND Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 2. Professor, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. 3. Professor, Cardiac Rehabilitation Research Center, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a group of abnormalities characterized by central obesity, high triglycerides, hypertension or high normal blood pressure, low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and diabetes or high fasting glucose. Subjects with this condition are at increased risk for developing diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease as well as increased mortality from other causes.1 The prevalence of MetS in the Iran, according to Isfahan Healthy Heart Program (IHHP), was 20.7% (men: 14.2%, women: 27.1%; P < 0.01), that in compassion of other Asian countries such as Turkey with 28.8% (men: 23.1%, women: 33.5%; P < 0.01),2 China with 13.8 % (men: 09.8%, women: 17.8%; P < 0.01),3 and India with 31.6% (men: 22.9%, women: 39.9%; P < 0.01),4 the prevalence of MetS in Iran is in moderate level.5-7 However, should bear in mind that the prevalence of MetS have an increasing trend, age increased in both gender.5 In Iran, According to the Iranian national census, elderly people have an increasing trend, so in 2006 in Iran, 7.26% of population were in age group of 60 years and older, and in 2011, elderly people included 8.19% of the population. However, with passage of time and increased life expectancy among Iranian population, we expect that observe increase in the prevalence of the MetS. According to IHHP in the center of Iran, the prevalence of MetS in people in age group of 60 years and older was 43.8 % (men: 31.5%, women: 56.5%; P < 0.01); and in under-60-years age group, the prevalence was 17.2% (men: 11.5%, women: 22.8%; P < 0.01). Based on this result, if Iranian policymakers of healthcare system do not take effective preliminary and primary prevention programs, the prevalence of the MetS in the next few decades will be very high in Iran. In Isfahan (one of industrial provinces of Iran), one community-based intervention (IHHP) launched form 2000 with the aim of lifestyle modification such as increasing physical activity, weight loss, improved diet, and quitting smoking; it seems that IHHP and similar intervention programs could improve people's lifestyle and be successful in halting or decreasing the slope of incidence of MetS.8