TY  - JOUR
T1  - Prevalence of a metabolic syndrome phenotype in adolescents: Findings from the third national health and nutrition examination survey, 1988-1994
AU  - Cook S, Weitzman M, Auinger P, Nguyen M, Dietz WH
Y1  - 2003/08/01
N1  - 10.1001/archpedi.157.8.821
JO  - Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
SP  - 821
EP  - 827
VL  - 157
IS  - 8
N2  - Background 
    In adults the metabolic syndrome imposes a substantial risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus and premature coronary heart disease. Even so, no national estimate is currently available of the prevalence of this syndrome in adolescents.Objective 
    To estimate the prevalence and distribution of a metabolic syndrome among adolescents in the United States.Design and Setting 
    Analyses of cross-sectional data obtained from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1994), which was administered to a representative sample of the noninstitutionalized civilian population of the United States.Participants 
    Male and female respondents aged 12 to 19 years (n = 2430).Main Outcome Measures 
    The prevalence and distribution of a metabolic syndrome among US adolescents, using the National Cholesterol Education Program (Adult Treatment Panel III) definition modified for age.Results 
    The overall prevalence of the metabolic syndrome among adolescents aged 12 to 19 years was 4.2%; 6.1% of males and 2.1% of females were affected (P= .01). The syndrome was present in 28.7% of overweight adolescents (body mass index [BMI], ≥95th percentile) compared with 6.8% of at-risk adolescents (BMI, 85th to <95th percentile) and 0.1% of those with a BMI below the 85th percentile (P<.001). Based on population-weighted estimates, approximately 910 000 US adolescents have the metabolic syndrome.Conclusions 
    Perhaps 4% of adolescents and nearly 30% of overweight adolescents in the United States meet these criteria for a metabolic syndrome, a constellation of metabolic derangements associated with obesity. These findings may have significant implications for both public health and clinical interventions directed at this high-risk group of mostly overweight young people.
SN  - 1072-4710
M3  - doi: 10.1001/archpedi.157.8.821
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archpedi.157.8.821
ER  -