Aims: This study aimed to detect and to determine the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome and its main components among the healthcare workers.
Methods: This investigation, led in 2014, included 1 078 healthcare workers in four hospitals in the north of Morocco. This study contained a questionnaire, a clinical and a biological examination. The questionnaire included three columns: the sociodemographic and professional data, the health and the individual conducts (food, harmful habits and physical activity). The metabolic syndrome was defined according to the criteria of the International Diabetes Federation Task Force (2009).
Results: In the studied population, the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was 21.7 %. It was significantly higher in women than in men (25.9 % vs 17.3 %; p = 0.021). It increased with the age in both sexes: for 20 - 30 years (8.9 % in women and 3.4 % in men), on the 30-40 years (13.9 % and 8.7 %), 40 - 50 years (25.1 % and 28.7 %) and 50 - 59 years (52.2 % and 59.2 %). The abdominal obesity (46.7 %), the high blood pressure (38 %) and the hyperglycemia (34.1 %) were the most frequent components. To the subjects having a metabolic syndrome, the physical activity was significantly less frequent (14.5 % vs 29.6 %; p = 0.002) and the stress was more important (56.4 % vs 41.7 %; p 0.006).
Conclusion: The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was important within the healthcare workers and especially in women. The fight against its risk factors (obesity, sedentary lifestyle, etc.) has to constitute a priority for the occupational health teams in hospital environment.