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Metabolic syndrome severity decreasing among US adolescents
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Favorable increases in HDL cholesterol and decreases in fasting triglyceride measurements may be responsible for the trend of declining metabolic syndrome severity in U.S. adolescents.
The decline was also associated with changes in dietary patterns, according to the researchers.
Mark D. DeBoer, MD, MSc, MCR, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville, and colleagues evaluated data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey on 5,117 participants aged 12 to 19 years to determine trends in the severity of metabolic syndrome, its individual components and factors related to diet and physical activity.
Mark D. DeBoer
Researchers found trends of decreasing metabolic syndrome z score (P = .03) and fasting triglyceride measurements (P = .0001), whereas there were trends of increased BMI z score (P = .005) and HDL levels (P < .0001). The proportion of children with high fasting triglycerides (P < .0013) and low HDL prevalence (P < .0001) decreased.
Overall, total calorie consumption and carbohydrate consumption decreased, whereas unsaturated fat consumption increased. Fasting triglyceride levels were associated with mean calorie consumption (P = .003). There was an inverse association between mean calorie consumption and BMI z score (P < .0001) and HDL (P = .0009). An inverse association was found between carbohydrate intake and HDL levels (P < .0001). Carbohydrate intake was linked to fasting triglyceride levels (P = .0004). A direct association was found between HDL levels and unsaturated fat intake (P < .0001) and an inverse relationship was found between unsaturated fat intake and fasting triglyceride levels (P < .0001).
“Over time, as children have eaten healthier diets (fewer calories overall, less carbohydrate, more unsaturated fat) there have been improvements in triglycerides and HDL-cholesterol and overall metabolic syndrome severity,” DeBoer told Endocrine Today. “This supports the important idea that healthy lifestyle choices are the key to improving cardiovascular risk status.” – by Amber Cox
For more information:
Mark D. DeBoer, MD, MSc, MCR, can be reached at P.O. Box 800386, Charlottesville, VA 22908; email: deboer@virginia.edu.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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