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Betel-quid use is associated with the risk of the metabolic syndrome in adults ^1,2,3,4

¹ From the Departments of Internal Medicine (J-YG and H-CC) and Biochemistry (L-YC), Kaohs iung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Background: Betel-quid use has been associated with obesity and hyperglycemia in previous studies.

Objective: The aim was to test whether betel-quid use contributes to the metabolic syndrome, as defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III.

Design: Associations between betel-quid use and the metabolic syndrome, obesity, hypertriacylglycerolemia, low HDL cholesterol, hyperglycemia, and high blood pressure after adjustment for sex, age, smoking, alcohol drinking, physical activity, and dietary intakes were studied in nonpregnant adults aged 20–64 y (n = 1986) from the Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (1993–1996).

Results: The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was not significantly different between the men and women (10.1% compared with 9.7%), whereas the prevalence of betel-quid use was higher in the men than in the women (31% compared with 2.3%; P < 0.001). The daily rate of betel-quid use was associated with the metabolic syndrome [odds ratio (OR) associated with a betel-quid consumption rate of 10 times/d: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.12, 1.55; P = 0.003], abdominal obesity (OR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.2, 1.7; P = 0.001), hypertriacylglycerolemia (OR: 1.33; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.73; P = 0.037), and high blood pressure (OR: 1.2; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.4; P = 0.04). However, the daily rate of betel-quid use was not associated with low HDL cholesterol or hyperglycemia.

Conclusion: The daily rate of betel-quid use is independently and positively associated with the metabolic syndrome in adults.

Key Words: Betel quid • metabolic syndrome • hyperglycemia • hypertension • obesity • hyperlipidemia

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