The Relationship Between the Metabolic Syndrome and the Place of Residence in the Local Community on the Example of the Janów Lubelski District in Eastern Poland: A Population-Based Study

Grzegorz Józef Nowicki; Barbara Ślusarska; Katarzyna Naylor; Andrzej Prystupa; Ewa Rudnicka-Drożak; Ulyana Halyuk; Petro Pokotylo

doi:10.2147/DMSO.S301639

The Relationship Between the Metabolic Syndrome and the Place of Residence in the Local Community on the Example of the Janów Lubelski District in Eastern Poland: A Population-Based Study

Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2021 May 6:14:2041-2056. doi: 10.2147/DMSO.S301639. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Grzegorz Józef Nowicki¹, Barbara Ślusarska¹, Katarzyna Naylor², Andrzej Prystupa³, Ewa Rudnicka-Drożak⁴, Ulyana Halyuk⁵, Petro Pokotylo⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Family Medicine and Community Nursing, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
² Department of Didactics and Medical Simulation, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
³ Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
⁴ Department of Family Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
⁵ Department of Normal Anatomy, Lviv National Medical University, Lviv, Ukraine.

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence concerning metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a local community with a low socioeconomic status and a medium and high cardiovascular risk on the example of residents of Janów Lubelski district, eastern Poland. The second goal of the research was to analyze the relationship between residence and the occurrence of MetS.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 4040 people living in eastern Poland. A group of 3046 people with medium and high cardiovascular risk was selected among the respondents and included in further analyzes. The research adopted the definition criteria proposed by the National Cholesterol Education Program - Third Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP ATP III) to implement diagnostic evaluation of MetS.

Results: It was observed that metabolic syndrome was significantly more frequent among the inhabitants of rural areas (40.56%; n=810) compared to those living in the city (35.27%; n=370) p=0.005. Among the inhabitants of rural areas, the percentage of people with elevated glucose levels was significantly higher, fasting blood glucose (FGB) p<0.001, elevated blood pressure (HBP) p<0.001, elevated serum triglycerides (TGs) p=0.01, and abnormal waist circumference (WC) p=0.003 compared to urban inhabitants. After adjusting for potential confounding variables (age, education, smoking, marital status, and level of physical activity), in both women and men, the odds of developing metabolic syndrome were approximately 30% higher in rural areas compared to urban residents (women: odds ratio (OR)=1.25, 95% confidence intervals (CI)=1.01-1.56; men: OR=1.30, 95% CI=1.01-1.67).

Conclusion and recommendations: A higher incidence of metabolic syndrome was observed among respondents living in rural areas than those living in cities. Similarly, across the gender strata, metabolic syndrome is more commonly diagnosed among men and women living in rural areas. Healthcare workers, especially in rural areas, should engage in education, prevention, and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle.

Keywords: metabolic syndrome; population-based study; prevalence; rural; urban.

Grants and funding

The research was performed as part of the project entitled “Follow Your Heart-prevention and health promotion program for cardiovascular diseases in the Janów Lubelski district” financed by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2009–2014 under the PL Program 13 “Limiting social inequities in health” and the state budget. Statistical analysis of the material, translations, and publication costs were financed from the own resources of the Medical University of Lublin as part of the statutory activity in the area of maintaining research potential (MNmb 615 and DS 519).