The objective of this study was to identify the potential risk factors of metabolic syndrome (MetS) among Chinese schoolchildren. A cross-sectional study among 624 children (357 boys and 267 girls, aged 9.6 ± 0.7 years) was conducted in Wuhan, China, from May to June 2010. MetS was defined according to the criteria proposed by De Ferranti and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. Data on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), household income, parental hypertension, and children's personal information, including birth weight, preterm birth, and breast-feeding, reported by their parents were obtained. Multiple logistic regression showed that CRF (odds ratio [OR] = 0.68; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.60-0.77), breast-feeding (OR = 0.32; 95% CI = 0.10-0.97), and paternal hypertension (OR = 5.06; 95% CI = 1.20-21.37) were all independently associated with MetS. In conclusion, low CRF and paternal hypertension significantly increase the risk, whereas breast-feeding may reduce the risk of MetS among Chinese schoolchildren.
Keywords: China; children; metabolic syndrome; obesity; risk factors.
© 2013 APJPH.