CLINICS 2011;66(9):1531-1535 CLINICAL SCIENCE DOI:10.1590/S1807-59322011000900004 Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and related factors in Taiwanese high-tech industry workers Tzung-Yi Tsai,I Jung-Feng Cheng,II Yu-Min LaiIII,IV I Department of Research, Buddhist Dalin Tzu Chi General Hospital, Taiwan. II Department of Nursing, Buddhist Dalin Tzu Chi General Hospital, Taiwan. III Department of Family Medicine, Buddhist Dalin Tzu Chi General Hospital, Taiwan. IV School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan. OBJECTIVES: In light of the increasing number of high-tech industry workers and the differences in their working conditions compared to those of the general population, the health status of these workers merits serious attention. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its correlates among Taiwanese high-tech industry workers. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 4,666 workers who participated in labor health examinations at a hospital in southern Taiwan in 2008. Participants with metabolic syndrome were defined using the criteria proposed by the Taiwan National Department of Health in 2007. Factors associated with metabolic syndrome were determined using multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 8.2%, and the prevalence was higher in men than in women (14.0% vs. 2.3%, p,0.01). Male gender, advanced age, elevated white blood count, and elevated levels of blood biochemistry markers, such as alanine aminotransferase and uric acid, can independently predict metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome among high-tech industry workers is lower than in the general population. Our study’s findings may facilitate early health assessments and the provision of proper workplace health promotion programs to reduce the risks faced by high-risk workers. KEYWORDS: High-tech industry; Metabolic syndrome; Workplace health promotion. Tsai TY, Cheng JF, Lai YM. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and related factors in Taiwanese high-tech industry workers. Clinics. 2011;66(9):1531- 1535. Received for publication on March 28, 2011; First review completed on May 2, 2011; Accepted for publication on May 16, 2011 E-mail: dm732024@tzuchi.com.tw Tel.: 886 5 2648000 ext. 5968 INTRODUCTION As a result of economic growth and associated socio- demographic shifts, changes in lifestyle and diet have led to an elevated risk with respect to chronic diseases, especially cardiovascular disease. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, claiming 17.5 million victims yearly.1 This high mortality rate creates an enormous financial burden. In the European Union, the yearly direct and indirect economic cost of cardiovascular disease is as high as 169 billion EUR.2 In contrast, after reviewing the top ten causes of mortality in Taiwan, we found that chronic diseases had replaced infectious diseases as the main cause of death. For example, according to statistics reports from the Taiwan National Department of Health in 2008,3 the mortality attributed to metabolic abnormalities (29.5%), including cerebrovascular disease, heart disease, diabetes Copyright 2011 CLINICS – This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non- commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. mellitus, hypertension, and pyelonephritis, had surpassed cancer mortality (27.3%), revealing that metabolic abnorm- alities have become a major health challenge. Given its threat to the well-being of humans, a syndrome related to insulin resistance abnormalities was first pro- posed by Reaven in 1988.4 Subsequently, in 1998, the WHO introduced the first internationally recognized term for metabolic abnormalities, metabolic syndrome (MS), which is characterized by a core set of disorders, including glucose intolerance, central obesity, dyslipidemia, and hypertension co-occurring within an individual.5 Although there is still some debate as to the precise definition of MS, its prevalence around the world has been estimated at approximately 7% to 58% according to the Adult Treatment Panel III definition, and these figures were still rising when the criteria were specified by the WHO.6 Recently, investigators have reported on the challenge that MS poses for human health. For example, MS is not only an indication of the likelihood of developing coronary heart disease or type II diabetes but is also associated with a threefold greater risk of cardiovascular death, as compared to those without the disorder.5 Additionally, MS is related to cerebral atrophy, which may trigger depression and cognitive impairment.7,8 Most recently, studies on the 1531