Unlike a traditional diagnosis of metabolic syndrome (MS), a numerical MS index can present individual fluctuations of health status over time. This study aimed to explore its value in the application of occupational health. Using a database of physiological and biochemical tests and questionnaires, data were collected from 7232 participants aged 20 to 64 years who received occupational health screenings at a health screening institution in 2018. Using confirmatory factor analysis, five components of MS were used to design an MS severity scoring index, which was then used to evaluate the risks of occupation factors. Waist circumference was the largest loading factor compared with the other MS components. Participants who worked in the traditional industrial, food processing, or electronic technology industries had higher MS severity than those in the logistics industry. Those who worked as a manager or over five years had a relatively high severity. The research showed that assessments based on an MS severity score are applicable when the risk factors of suboptimal health are involved. By monitoring the scores over time, healthcare professionals can propose preventive strategies in time, thus enhancing the effectiveness of occupational health examination services.
Keywords: labor health examination; metabolic syndrome; occupational risk; severity score.