Background. This study was carried out to establish the prevalence of cardiovascular risks such as hypertension, obesity, and diabetes in Eastern Nepal. This study also establishes the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) and its relationships to these cardiovascular risk factors and lifestyle. Methods. 14,425 subjects aged 20–100 (mean 41.4 ± 15.1) were screened with a physical examination and blood tests. Both the International Diabetic Federation (IDF) and National Cholesterol Education Programme’s (NCEP) definitions for MS were used and compared. Results. 34% of the participants had hypertension, and 6.3% were diabetic. 28% were overweight, and 32% were obese. 22.5% of the participants had metabolic syndrome based on IDF criteria and 20.7% according to the NCEP definition. Prevalence was higher in the less educated, people working at home, and females. There was no significant correlation between the participants’ lifestyle factors and the prevalence of MS. Conclusion. The high incidence of dyslipidemia and abdominal obesity could be the major contributors to MS in Nepal. Education also appears to be related to the prevalence of MS. This study confirms the need to initiate appropriate treatment options for a condition which is highly prevalent in Eastern Nepal. 1. Introduction According to the World Health Organization’s recent update [1], diabetes, hypertension, and obesity are one of the top five continuing risk factors for cardiovascular deaths in the world. Obesity is increasing substantially and is one of the major contributors of disease prevalence due to its pathophysiological link to other cardiovascular risks such as hypertension and diabetes. It is estimated that, in 2010, 6.4% of adults would have diabetes mellitus affecting 285 million in the world and it will increase to 7.7% by 2030, affecting 439 million adults [2]. Of special note is that there will be a 67% increase in the prevalence of diabetes in developing countries from 2010 to 2030 [2]. Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a constellation of overweight/obesity, hypertension, and disturbances of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. The definition of MS was debated for a long time to produce a standardized clinical criterion. The World Health Organisation describes MS as the presence of type 2 diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance with any two of the following characteristics: obesity, high levels of triglycerides, low levels of high-density lipoprotein, and hypertension. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) takes central obesity as a prerequisite for the diagnosis of MS with the
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