Abstract 15197: Trends in Prevalence and Treatment of Metabolic Syndrome and Individual Components by Race/Ethnicity, 1999-2020

Abstract

Introduction: Nationally representative data evaluating recent trends in racial and ethnic differences in prevalence and treatment of metabolic syndrome (MetS) are sparse. Methods: We evaluated 21-year trends in the prevalence and treatment of MetS and individual components in 21,602 adults, using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) from 1999 to 2020. We used weighted linear regression to estimate time trends and compared these trends by race and ethnicity. Results: Among participants, the mean age was 47.7 (SD, 2.2) years; 51 % were female; 78 %, 12.7%, and 9.3% were White, Black, and Hispanic. From 1999 to 2020, the prevalence of MetS as well as the prevalences of elevated waist circumference and elevated fasting glucose increased significantly for Black, Hispanic, and White individuals (P<0.01 for all). The prevalences of elevated blood pressure and elevated triglyceride increased among Black individuals but did not change among Hispanic and White individuals. The use of antihypertensive, antihyperglycemic, and lipid-modifying medications also increased for all racial/ethnic subgroups. Racial/ethnic disparities in prevalence and treatment of MetS and individual components persisted throughout the study period. Compared with White individuals, Black individuals had higher use of antihypertensive medications but lower use of lipid-modifying medications (P<0.01 for all). Hispanic individuals had lower use of antihypertensive medications and lipid-modifying medications (P<0.01 for all). Across all racial/ethnic subgroups, less than 60% and 30% of people with medication indications received lipid-modifying and antihyperglycemic medications, respectively. Conclusions: Temporal trends suggest an increase in prevalence of MetS. There were persistent racial/ethnic disparities in use of antihypertensive, antihyperglycemic, and lipid-modifying medications among people with medication indications.