Disparity in Metabolic Syndrome Contributors and 10-Year CVD Risk: a Study Among Two Populations of Different Ancestry in India

Metabolic syndrome and 10-year CVD predictors confer a significant risk for future cardiovascular events. Thus, estimating the prevalence of these components and also highlighting the best contributor of metabolic syndrome in light of different ethnic populations are essential, and these constitute the major aims of the present study. This was a cross-sectional study among two ethno-geographically distinct populations in India viz., Meiteis and Jats. A total of 2684 individuals, aged ≥ 30 years, were recruited and data pertaining to demographic and lifestyle variables were obtained. Anthropometric and physiological parameters were measured and biochemical levels were estimated. Metabolic syndrome was defined by using modified NCEP-ATP III criteria while 10-year CVD risk was calculated by Framingham risk score. Data presented a significantly higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome among Jats (25%) as compared to Meiteis (18.5%). However, the prevalence of 10-year intermediate and high CVD risk was almost similar between the two populations. Interestingly, the prevalence of 10-year CVD risk components in metabolic syndrome group differed between the two populations. Further, FBG and WC best predicted metabolic syndrome among Meiteis and Jats, respectively. The present study highlighted a differential metabolic syndrome and its best contributors between Meiteis and Jats suggesting disease management and treatment should not be common for every populations, especially in a diverse nation like India, and urges population-specific programs focusing on the components that influence the disorder.