High Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in Iran in Comparison with France: What Are the Components That Explain This?

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the difference in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components between an Iranian and a French population. Methods: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome, defined according to the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III), and of related abnormalities, was estimated in 1,386 French and 1,194 Iranian adults. Results: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was significantly higher in Iranian women (55.0%), followed by Iranian men (30.1%), than in French men (13.7%) and French women (6.6%). Iranian women were characterized by high rates of abdominal obesity (65.0%), hypertension (52.1%), hypertriglyceridemia (43.1%), and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C; 92.7%). Iranian men were characterized by high rates of hypertension (48.9%), hypertriglyceridemia (42.8%), and low HDL-C (81.8%). French men had high rates of hypertension (44.7%) and mild rates of hypertriglyceridemia (28.6%) and hyperglycemia (23.9%). There was a relationship between waist circumference and the lipid components of metabolic syndrome in both countries. Conclusion: The main finding of this study is the high prevalence of low HDL-C concentrations in the Iranian population, especially in Iranian women, compared with French women. Explanation of this observation could help in establishing prevention strategies.