The relationship between hypovitaminosis D and metabolic syndrome: a cross sectional study among employees of a private university in Lebanon

Ghadieh, Rachelle; Mattar Bou Mosleh, Jocelyne; Al Hayek, Sibelle; Merhi, Samar; El Hayek Fares, Jessy

doi:10.1186/s40795-018-0243-x

Table 1 Sample characteristics (socio-demographic, lifestyle, anthropometric, dietary intake and biochemical factors) in employees of a private Lebanese university

From: The relationship between hypovitaminosis D and metabolic syndrome: a cross sectional study among employees of a private university in Lebanon

Characteristic	Total (n = 344)		Men (n = 172)		Women (n = 172)
Characteristic	n or mean	% or SD	n or mean	% or SD	n or mean	% or SD	Significance
Age (years)	42.6	11.5	45.6	12.1	39.5	10.2	0.000
Marital status
Single/ Separated/ Divorced	119	34.6	53	30.8	66	38.4	0.174
Married	225	65.4	119	69.2	106	61.6
Education level
High school/BT¹	75	21.8	48	27.9 ^a	27	15.7 ^a	0.013
Bachelor degree	87	25.3	36	20.9 ^b	51	29.6 ^b
Graduate	182	52.9	88	51.2 ^a,b	94	54.7 ^a,b
Income ($)
< 2250	112	32.6	61	35.5 ^a	51	29.6 ^a	0.033
2250–4000	87	25.3	33	19.2 ^a	54	31.4 ^b
> 4000	145	42.2	78	45.3 ^a	67	39.0 ^a
Medical morbidity
No	202	58.9	91	53.2	111	64.5	0.043
Yes	141	41.1	80	46.8	61	35.5
Intake of vitamin D supplement, past 3 months
No	270	78.5	142	82.6	128	74.4	0.088
Yes	74	21.5	30	17.4	44	25.6
Intake of other supplement, past 3 months
No	252	73.3	133	77.3	119	69.2	0.113
Yes	92	26.7	39	22.7	53	30.8
Daily exposure to direct sunlight							0.008
≤ 15 mins	136	39.5	66	38.4 ^a	70	40.7 ^a
16–60 min	112	32.6	46	26.7 ^a	66	38.4 ^b
> 60 mins	96	27.9	60	34.9 ^a	36	20.9 ^b
Use sunscreen
No	244	70.9	165	95.9	79	45.9	0.000
Yes	100	29.1	7	4.1	93	54.1
Smoking
No	212	61.6	93	54.1	119	69.2	0.006
Yes	132	38.4	79	45.9	53	30.8
Alcohol drinking
No	255	74.1	112	65.1	143	83.1	0.000
Yes	89	25.9	60	34.9	29	16.9
Physical activity level
Low	221	64.2	10.3	59.9	118	68.6	0.115
Moderate/High	123	35.8	69.0	40.1	54.0	31.4
Vitamin D intake (μg)	2.24	3.18	2.46	4.0	2.03	2.04	0.209
Vitamin D concentration (ng/mL)	28.2	13.9	28.4	15.0	28.1	12.8	0.846
BMI (kg/m²)
Underweight	2	0.6	0	0.0 ^a,b	2	1.2 ^a,b	0.000
Normal	122	35.5	27	15.7 ^a	95	55.2 ^b
Overweight	130	37.8	86	50.0 ^a	44	25.6 ^b
Obese	90	26.2	59	34.3 ^a	31	18.0 ^b
Percent body fat (%)	30.90	7.899	27.796	6.930	33.973	7.608	0.000
Waist circumference (cm)	96.5	12.2	102.1	10.5	90.9	11.1	0.000
MetS² status
No	263	76.5	113	65.7	150	87.2	0.000
Yes	81	23.5	59	34.3	22	12.8
Waist circumference risky
No³	170	49.4	85	49.4	85	49.4	1
Yes	174	50.6	87	50.6	87	50.6
Blood pressure
Healthy	271	78.8	116	67.4	155	90.1	0.000
Unhealthy⁴	73	21.2	56	32.6	17	9.9
Fasting blood glucose
Normal	274	79.7	119	69.2	155	90.1	0.000
Impaired⁵	70	20.3	53	30.8	17	9.9
TG levels
Normal TG levels	232	67.4	88	51.1	144	83.7	0.000
Hypertriglyceridemia⁶	112	32.6	84	48.8	28	16.3
HDL
Normal	262	76.2	129	75	133	77.3	0.704
Low⁷	82	23.8	43	25	39	22.7

¹Baccalaureat Technique
²Metabolic Syndrome defined according the NCEP-ATP III [63]
³WC < 88 cm for women and < 102 cm for men [27]
⁴blood pressure ≥ 130/ 85 mmHg [63]
⁵fasting blood glucose ≥100 mg/Dl [63]
⁶triglycerides level ≥ 150 mg/dL [63]
⁷HDL cholesterol levels< 40 mg/dL in men or < 50 mg/ dL in women [63]
Columns with superscripts without a common symbol differ, P < 0.05

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ISSN: 2055-0928

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