Metabolic syndrome, its components, and their association with dietary patterns among early adolescents in Sudan.

Authors

Fatima A Elfaki, Aziza I G Mukhayer, Mohamed E Moukhyer, Rama M Chandika, Husameldin E Khalafalla, Stef P J Kremers

Published in

Frontiers in nutrition. Volume 13. Pages 1939035. Epub Sep 09, 2026.

Abstract

The prevalence of global metabolic syndrome (MetS) is increasing alongside childhood obesity, and diet plays an important role in metabolic health.
This study examined MetS, its components, and dietary pattern associations among Sudanese early adolescents aged 10-15 years (N = 921).
In this cross-sectional study conducted in 2018-2019, dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire; dietary patterns were derived by principal component analysis; and associations with MetS components and weight status were examined using the multiple linear regression analysis.
Three patterns emerged: starchy/animal-origin (starchy foods, fish, chicken, eggs, milk/dairy, meat), Western (fast/fried foods, snacks, soda drinks, sweets), and plant-based (legumes, vegetables, fruits, fresh juices) food patterns. Starchy/animal-origin and Western patterns were positively associated with weight status, and the plant-based pattern was inversely associated with weight status (all p < 0.01). After adjusting for gender, residence, age, and parental education, the starchy/animal-origin pattern was associated with greater waist circumference (WC; B = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.50, 2.60, p < 0.01) and higher systolic blood pressure (SBP; B = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.03, 1.21, p = 0.038). The Western pattern was associated with lower WC (B = -0.84, 95% CI: -1.52, -0.15, p = 0.016), whereas the plant-based pattern was associated with lower WC (B = -2.70, 95% CI: -3.28, -2.14, p < 0.01), lower SBP (B = -1.14, 95% CI: -1.75, -0.53, p < 0.01), and lower diastolic blood pressure (B = -0.68, 95% CI: -1.29, -0.07, p = 0.028).
The starchy/animal-origin pattern showed adverse adiposity, while the plant-based pattern showed more favorable profiles among Sudanese early adolescents. School-based dietary interventions are needed to promote balanced eating and reduce MetS risk.

PMID:
42781464
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 25 Sep 2026.

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