Metabolic syndrome and body composition measurements in Blue-Collar Workers from a Metal-Mechanic Factory in Soledad.

Introduction: Data regarding the incidence of MetS and the relationship with some body composition measurements in blue-collar workers from Soledad were obtained, as part of a wider research. Methods: Data on weight (W), height (H), BMI, waist, hip, WHR, percent body fat (%BF), fat mass, blood pressure (BP), fasting blood glucose (FBG), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), very-low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and triglycerides (TG) were obtained from 236 male blue-collar workers in a metal-mechanic factory at Soledad, a municipality of Departamento del Atlántico in the Caribbean coast of Colombia. The Adult Treatment Panel III (2001) definition for metabolic syndrome was used. Metabolic Syndrome components (MetS) and correlations with body composition measurements were calculated. Results: The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 20.7% (95%CI=15%, 26%). Waist circumference above 102 cm. was found in 11.8% (95%CI=7.5%, 16.2%); 43.2% (95%CI=36.6%, 49.7%) had triglycerides levels greater than 150 mg/dl., blood pressure ≥ 130/85 was found in 10.2% (95%CI=6.1%, 14.2%) and FBG >100 mg/dl in 10.5% (95%CI=6.4%, 14.7%). BMI and %BF correlates well with waist, BP, FBG and TG. Conclusions: Prevalence of MetS in this blue-collar workers sample at Soledad is in agreement with other papers published in Colombia as well as in other countries. Abdominal obesity was below the national data. In this population, BMI and %BF could be a good proxy to evaluate MetS