Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the population aged 15-74 in Guantanamo municipality

Introduction: the global burden and threat of noncommunicable diseases undermine social and economic development throughout the world. Objective: to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the population aged 15 to 74 years of the Guantánamo municipality in 2010. Method: a cross-sectional observational research was carried out that included 1 629 people, selected by complex sampling, by conglomerates and multistage. For the definition of metabolic syndrome the modified NCEP-ATP III criteria were used. To collect the information, the Pan American Version of the National Surveillance of Risk Factors Survey was used. The prevalence by age and sex was determined by means of estimations with 95% reliability, expressed in percent, using the SPSS program, version 11.5. Results: Metabolic syndrome was more frequent in women and in the 55-64 age group. The prevalence obtained does not differ from the estimates made by WHO and is an indicator that can be used as a baseline for subsequent studies that assess the impact of changes in risk factors. Conclusions: the high prevalence of MS in guantanameros from 15 to 74 years indicates the need to implement preventive actions designed to control hypertension, reduce central obesity, dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia and improve the surveillance of cardio-metabolic diseases and thereby avoid the future consequences of MS for the health of the population.