Metabolic Syndrome among Healthcare Workers in a Tertiary Hospital in South-South, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Healthcare providers occupy an important position in the health sector and the economy of a country.  Ensuring their sound health goes a long way in maintaining the health of the citizens at large. Metabolic syndrome is described as the constellation of interrelated physiological, clinical, biochemical and metabolic factors that directly increases cardiovascular disease (CVD) risks, type 2-diabetes and other causes of morbidity and mortality. The study determined the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among the healthcare workers in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Edo State, South- South, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A total of three hundred and twenty- five subjects between the age ranges of 21-69 years were recruited for this cross-sectional study. One hundred and sixty (160) of the subjects were males, and one hundred and sixty- five were females. The anthropometric and blood pressure measurements were done using standard techniques. Fasting serum lipid profile and fasting plasma glucose were assayed using standard laboratory techniques. International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria were used for the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome. Results: One hundred and three subjects (31.7%) were overweight, and eighty- three (25.5%) were obese, one hundred and twenty-five (38.5%) had a normal weight, and fourteen (4.3%) were underweight. The mean fasting plasma glucose (FPG), triglycerides (TG) and systolic blood pressure were normal (4.87±1.28 mmol/L, 0.91±0.54 mmol/L and 116.2±15.7 mmHg respectively). The prevalence of metabolic syndrome among the female subjects was about three times that of the male subjects. The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome among the study population was 15.4%. Higher incidence of metabolic syndrome was seen among the female health workers. Conclusion: The study demonstrated a high prevalence of metabolic syndrome among healthcare workers in UBTH, and recommends aggressive enlightenment programme on health consciousness among healthcare workers.