Aging and lifestyle changes had led to an epidemiological transition, with a significant impact on the incidence of cardiovascular diseases in North Africa.
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its associated factors, which were unknown, among an urban population in Algeria.
During 2007-2009, 787 individuals aged 30-64 years, randomly selected from the list of insured persons residing in the city of Oran, participated in a clinical, anthropometric and biological survey. Participants were classified according to the National Cholesterol Education Program - Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP-ATP) III definition of metabolic syndrome.
The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 20%, higher in women than men (25.9 vs 13.7%; P
Metabolic syndrome, prevalent in the urban population of North Algeria, is associated with a high proportion of low HDL-cholesterol and abdominal obesity, especially among women. There is a need for prevention strategies involving promotion of physical activity for the whole population and screening for hypertension among men.