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Drop in adolescent metabolic syndrome severity linked to improved US diet

There is a trending decrease in the severity of metabolic syndrome cases among adolescents, and it appears to be due to increases in good cholesterol and decreases in fasting triglyceride levels associated with healthier dietary habits, according to data published in Pediatrics.

“The metabolic syndrome … is characterized by central obesity, high fasting glucose, high fasting triglycerides, high blood pressure … and low high-density lipoprotein,” Arthur M. Lee, BS, of the University of Virginia department of pediatrics, in Charlottesville, and colleagues wrote. “Recent reports have shown a decrease in the prevalence of [metabolic syndrome] among U.S. adults, attributed to increased awareness and pharmaceutical treatment of the individual components of MetS.”

To determine the trends in metabolic syndrome (MetS) prevalence, individual components and associations with diet and physical activity among U.S. adolescents, the researchers analyzed participant data from the CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2012. They used modified National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel criteria to investigate trends in MetS prevalence, and the recently developed MetS Severity Score to calculate severity, taking into account gender and race/ethnicity.

In all, the researchers examined data from 5,117 participants aged 12 to 19 years.

The researchers determined there was a trend of decreasing MetS severity among U.S. adolescents from 1999 to 2012 (P = .3), despite a trend of increasing BMI (P = .005). According to the researchers, the drop in MetS severity had been caused by increasing high density lipoprotein (P < .0001) and decreasing triglyceride levels (P = .0001). In addition, the researchers noted a changes in dietary habits in U.S. adolescents, such as a decrease in total calories (P < .0001), a decrease in carbohydrates (P < .0001) and an increase in unsaturated fat (P = .002). They found no changes in physical activity among the study participants.

“It is important to understand what may be contributing to this U.S. adolescent population improvement in MetS severity because identifying the contributing factors could aid in ensuring their continued effectiveness, with potential beneficial implications for upcoming generations of children with respect to long-term health outcomes,” Lee and colleagues wrote. “This study has importance because it is nationally representative for the U.S. adolescent population, is novel in its temporal assessment of MetS severity and explores possible lifestyle factors contributing to population health trends.” – by Jason Laday