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To date, research on the influence of environmental factors on metabolic syndrome (MS) among youths is limited. This study was conducted to investigate for the first time the association of these factors with MS in a large national, representative sample of children from a non-Western population.

The study population comprised of 4811 students (2248 boys and 2563 girls) aged 6–18years, living in six different provinces in Iran. MS, defined based on criteria analogous to those of the Adult Treatment Panel III, was detected in 14.1% of participants. A birth weight of >4000g in boys and <2500g in girls increased the risk of having the MS [OR, 95% CI: 1.4 (1.007, 2.05) and 1.2 (1.1, 1.4), respectively]. Poorly educated parents and a positive parental history of chronic disease were other risks factors associated with MS. Low levels of physical activity significantly …