Frequency of Syndrome X in the Population of the Town Novi Sad

Budimka Novakovic, Milka Popovic, and Marija Jevtic

Institute of Public Health, Novi Sad, Yugoslavia

Corresponding author: Assoc. Prof. Budimka Novakovic
    Institute of Public Health, Novi Sad
    Futoška ulica 121
    21000 Novi Sad, Yugoslavia
    Telephone: (+381) 21 422 255
    Fax number: (+381) 21 613 989
    E-mail: IZZZ@eunet.yu or depop@eunet.yu

CEJOEM 2000, Vol.6. No.2-3.:151-155

Key words:
Inadequate nutrition, physical inactivity, metabolic disorders, and syndrome X

Abstract:
Inadequate nutrition and physical inactivity are dominant health problems of the general population, as they bring about high incidence and prevalence of non-communicable mass diseases. Obesity (especially with central fat distribution), insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, hyperlipoproteinemia, dyslipoproteinemia and cardiovascular diseases are the main constituents of the metabolic syndrome, syndrome X.
In order to study to what extent the various metabolic disorders contribute to syndrome X, a representative sample (1600 persons of either sex, aged 25-64, of all professional levels) was taken in the town of Novi Sad. 79.37% of this population responded, so the sample examined included 1270 subjects. The survey covered history, antropometric measurements (body height and weight, body mass index, waist to hips ratio [WHR]), physical examination (including measurement of blood pressure), biochemical analysis (fasting glycemia, OGTT, total serum cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerids). Frequency of obesity, types of obesity, glycemic status, disorders of glucose metabolism, disorders of lipid metabolism, frequency and sort of hypertension, blood insulin level, and finally frequency of metabolic syndrome were searched for.
Of the population studied, 45.41% of males and 32.64% of females were obese. Extreme obesity was found in 19.70% of males and 27.12% of females. Males had WHR values greater than 1.0 in 9.18% while those of females ranged between 0.8 and 1.0 in 48.82%. Fasting hyperglycemia was present in 30.22% of males and 20.86% of females. Serum cholesterol levels >5.20 mmol/l were found in 74.96% of males and 72.24% of females. Among males and females arterial hypertension was diagnosed in 29.88% and 23.40%, respectively. In the whole population studied, 82.75% displayed pathological values in some of the measurements performed. In the whole Novi Sad sample, syndrome X was suspected in 13.62% subjects (50% probability); the remainder had no risk for it (70% probability). For distinguishing between these two groups, WHR proved to be the most suitable parameter (discriminatory coefficient 0.39). It has been concluded that in obese individuals (especially in those with central obesity) the search for metabolic disorders contributing to the development of syndrome X is a prerequisite of an appropriate primary prevention.

Received: 31 July 2000
Accepted: 06 December 2000

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