Summary:
Objective: To assess the factors of metabolic syndrome (MetS)
in post menopausal women in Bangladesh.
Methods: Menopausal women are at increased risk of
metabolic syndrome (MetS). This cross-sectional study on 64
willing post menopausal women from an urban and a rural
area of Bangladesh was done. The socio-epidemiologic
factors with anthropometric examination, blood pressure
recording and fasting blood analysis for triglyceride (TG),
high density lipoprotein (HDL), sugar were studied.
Results: Prevalence of MetS was 50.0% (95% CI= 39.9%-
60.1%) among menopausal women, seventy five percent of
them were urban. Low HDL cholesterol prevailed in almost
96% respondents followed by high TG (51%), obesity
(28.0%), high fasting blood sugar (FBS, 27.1%) and
hypertension (HTN, 16.9%). On logistic regression, age
(OR=1.6, 95% CI: 1.3-1. 9), male sex (OR=2.5, 95% CI:
1.4-4.2) and exercise (OR=1.9, 95% CI: 1.2-2.9) produced
significantly higher odds of being associated with MetS;
rural area (OR=1.4, 95% CI: 1.0-2.1) and sedentary
occupation (OR=1.7, 95% CI: 0.9-3.0) were associated just
insignificantly. Though higher income, better education,
good physical movement and knowledge of MetS produced
protective odds, they were not significant.
Conclusions: The study suggests that MetS is highly prevalent
among Bangladeshi menopausal women. Further studies
are needed to identify risk factors and for effective preventive
measures to control this metabolic disease.
Key Words: Metabolic Syndrome, Epidemiology, Obesity,
Lifestyle, Bangladesh
(J Banagladesh Coll Phys Surg 2016; 34: 15-20)