Relationship between metabolic syndrome and depression: A study based on Rafsanjan Youth Cohort Study

Background: Depressed people are susceptible to metabolic syndrome ression and metabolic syndrome in the Rafsanjan Youth Cohort Study in 2021.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the data of 3005 young people aged 15-35 under the coverage of urban and rural health centers was investigated in the enrollment stage of the Rafsanjan Youth Cohort Study as a part of the prospective epidemiological research studies in IrAN (PERSIAN). Data was collected using face-to-face interview and electronic questionnaires of the Rafsanjan Youth Cohort Study.

Results: Age of the youth was 25.78 ± 6.06 years, 56 % (n = 1682) were female. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) was 7.7 % (95 % CI: 6.8 %-8.8 %) and the prevalence of depression was 11.1 % (95 % CI: 10.0 %-12.3 %). Depression did not have a significant impact on the odds ratio of developing MetS in young people (P = 0.604). The odds ratio (OR) of MetS increases by 1.057 times with increasing age (95 % CI for OR: 1.020-1.094). This OR is also 1.715 times higher in married young people than in unmarried Youth (95 % CI for OR: 1.715-2.692) and 0.196 times lower in young people with medium and high MET index than in young people with low MET index (95 % CI for OR: 0.048-0.811).

Limitations: Inability to determine a causal relationship between MetS and depression.

Conclusion: Due to the growing trend of components of MetS among the young population, this issue needs to be addressed in future policies and planning for prevention and control as a health priority.