EXPLORING THE PREVALENCE OF METABOLIC SYNDROME AND KEY RISK FACTORS IN A RURAL COMMUNITY IN ABEOKUTA, OGUN STATE.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (Syndrome X) is a multifactorial disease with multiple risk factors. It comprises a combination of risk factors for cardiovascular disease, as well as for diabetes, fatty liver and several cancers. It is gradually becoming more in our environment but few epidemiological studies on the subject have been conducted in rural areas in Nigeria. Hence, the essence of this study.

Objectives: Metabolic syndrome is considered an emerging epidermic in developing countries. However, there seems to be paucity of data on the prevalence. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and associated risk factors in Ilugun Community of Abeouta, Ogun State.

Methodology: A total of 51 participants who participated in the free medical outreach during the 2024 World Hypertension Day in Ilugun Community, a rural area in Abeokuta, Ogun State. Anthropometric variables, FBG, triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-C and blood pressure were assessed. The ATP III criteria were used to diagnose metabolic syndrome. Sociodemographic data, including age, gender, history of hypertension, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, exercise frequency, and body mass index (BMI) were also collected to assess the risk factors. The data was cleaned, entered, and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (IBM SPSS 26.0 version). Univariate analysis: Categorical variables were summarized using frequency and percentages. Bivariate analysis: Chi-Square test was used. Level of significance was set at p-value < 0.05.

Results: The mean age of participants was 48.9. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the community was found to be 19.4%. The percentage of individuals with abnormal measurements were as follows: abdominal circumference (18%), blood pressure (43.2%), fasting blood glucose (7%) and triglycerides (17%). 14% of the participants were overweight to obese, abnormal BMI was identified as a important risk factor that showed a statistically significant association with metabolic syndrome (P<0.05).

Conclusion: This study highlights the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and associated risk factors. The manifestation and impact of metabolic syndrome can vary across different ethnicities, age groups, and genders.