Abstract:
At present, school-age children have been highly increasing overweight and obesity, which could contribute to sign and symptoms of metabolic syndrome. This cohort-prospective study aimed to survey prevalence and examine factors associated with metabolic syndrome among school-age children. Sample included 675 school-age children recruited by a multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling. The children had their mean age of 9.18 (+1.73) years. They were studying in Pratom 1-6, 2014 academic year of an elementary school in Chon Buri municipality area. Research instruments consisted of the record forms of the childrens and their family health, and performing of child physical assessment, measuring body weight, height, waist circumference, blood pressure, and blood test. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, χ2-test, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearsons correlation coefficients, Point bi-serial coefficients, Stepwise multiple linear regression and Multivariate logistic regression. Results revealed that the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 5.0% among 10-12 years old children with overweight (% BMI-for-age > P 85) and waist circumference above normal standard level (> P90) (n = 60). Total sample had prevalence of overweight and obesity of 30.9%. Boys had higher prevalence than girls (χ2 = 4.861, p < .05), but there was no difference between their waist circumference (p > .05). BMI percentile and Waist circumference (WC) had very positively high correlation (r = .836, p <.001). HDL-C was significant and the best predictor of BMI percentile and WC with variance accounted for 10.4% and 9.7%, respectively. Triglyceride was a significant predictor of BMI percentile and WC with variance accounted for 3.2% and 4.8%, respectively. Systolic BP was also a significant predictor of BMI percentile and WC with variance accounted for 2.8% and 18.3%, respectively. Fasting blood glucose after 8 hours or more and Diastolic BP were not significant in the prediction of metabolic syndrome among school-age children. These findings suggest that nurses, school teachers and principals should pay more attention, promote and support activities or projects related to prevention of metabolic syndrome among school-age children. Future studies need to focus more on a longitudinal study, a study with a large number of sample and expanding contexts and setting, as well as a study to develop a standardized waist circumference percentile for Thai children by age and sex.