Higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome among male employees of a gas refinery than in their counterparts in nonindustrial environments

Background: Occupation and working conditions may affect the risk of developing metabolic syndrome (MetS), an important risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Objective: To investigate the prevalence of MetS and its risk factors in employees in an industrial workplace and compare them with those in employees from a nonindustrial setting. Methods: Male employees (n = 757) from a gas-refinery and 2700 adult men from the general population of whom 750 were nonindustrial employees (Khorasan province, Iran), were evaluated for CVD risk factors, including those used to define MetS. Individuals were matched for age and educational attainment, and 670 industrial and 681 nonindustrial employees were included in the final analysis. International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III criteria were used for diagnosis of MetS. We compared MetS and its risk factors between the two groups. Results: There were more gas refinery employees with a body mass index > 30 kg/m2, abdominal obesity, and a high fasting blood glucose level than nonindustrial employees (P < 0.01). A diagnosis of MetS was significantly more likely in refinery workers than in nonindustrial employees (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.10 to 1,737; P = 0.005). Scores of IDF and ATP III criteria in the refinery employees were significantly higher than for the nonindustrial employees (P < 0.01). The prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia in the refinery employees tended to be higher than in nonindustrial employees, but the difference was not quite significant (P = 0.052). Blood pressure in nonindustrial employees was significantly higher than in refinery employees (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The prevalence of MetS among male gas refinery employees was higher than for male nonindustrial employees.