Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome Components and other Cardiovascular Risk factors related to Cardiovascular Disease and Cognition: A Comparison between the HABLE and UNAM cohorts.

Background: In the United States, the number two cause of death among Latinos in general, and Mexican Americans in particular is cardiovascular disease (CVD). Prevalence of major cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) is higher among Mexican Americans than non-Hispanic Whites. Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a group of CFRF associated with greater risk of diabetes, CVD, cognitive decline, and dementia. Reports of CVRF prevalence among Mexico population and Mexican Americans living in the US have been contradictory. In general, it has been reported that the prevalence of CFRF in Mexico is within the range of what is observed in the US. A few comparative studies have demonstrated that US born and Mexico-born Mexicans Americans have higher prevalence that their Mexican counterparts. Also, some studies found that the only components of the metabolic syndrome with a higher prevalence in Mexico are total cholesterol and HDL. The purpose of this study was to compare the distribution of MS components among Mexican Americans from the Health and Aging Brain Among Latino Elders study (HABLE), with data from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Our goal was to gain a better insight about the similarities and differences in the prevalence of CVRF associated with metabolic syndrome in Mexicans and a cohort of Mexican Americans living in the United States (US). Methods: Data were analyzed in 290 participants (197 female), 60 years and older, from the ongoing HABLE study, and compared with data from a study done in 161 subjects (101 female), 60 years and older, at the UNAM. CVRF entered in the models included: fasting glucose, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, body mass index (BMI), abdominal circumference, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. According to the National Cholesterol Education Program (ATP III), metabolic syndrome was defined as having 3 or more of the following: abdominal circumference ≥ 40 inches in males or ≥ 35 inches in females, triglycerides ≥ 150 mg/dl, HDL-Cholesterol Results: In both, male and female subjects, no significant difference was found for glucose and triglycerides levels among the two cohorts. . Between males, the UNAM cohort had higher levels of cholesterol (F=3.11, p=0.007), and HDL (F=1216.7, p2(1, N = 93) = 13.2, p = 0.0003 when comparing with males of the UNAM cohort. The difference in prevalence between females from both cohorts was not significant. Conclusion: In our study, with the exception of cholesterol and HDL, the prevalence of CVRF and metabolic syndrome was higher in urban dwelling Mexican Americans enrolled in the HABLE study than Mexicans enrolled in the UNAM study. Mexican Americans suffer a higher burden of CFRF and