BACKGROUND:

Previous studies have found variability in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome according different definitions.

OBJECTIVE:

To determine the degree of agreement between different definitions in a Colombian population-based cohort.

MATERIAL AND METHOD:

A prospective cohort conducted in patients aged between 15 to 64 years. Standardized measurements of cardiovascular risk factors were made in 2001, 2007 and 2013. Univariate analysis was performed to describe the distribution of these cardiovascular risk factors according to metabolic syndrome definition proposed by World Health Organization (WHO), Adult Panel Treatment III (ATPIII) and International Diabetes Federation (IDF). Concordance analysis was performed according to the Kappa concordance index.

RESULTS:

In 2001, 2432 participants were included, 67% were women. The average age was 36 years. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome according to the WHO, AT- PIII and IDF definitions was 5.2%, 7%, and 11.3% in 2001, 11.8%, 9.5% and 17% in 2007 and 24%, 17.3% and 29% in 2013, respectively. There evidence of moderate agreement between definitions.

CONCLUSION:

There is variability in the prevalence of metabolic síndrome according to each of the different definitions used being higher when using the definition proposed by the IDF, probably due to the cut-off point used to define obesity.