In this study, a group of hospital workers underwent physical examinations to measure weight, blood pressure and cholesterol, all of which are high when a person has metabolic syndrome. The workers were divided into age and gender groups. The youngest group (ages 35-54 years) was the most aﬀected by metabolic syndrome, whereas the elderly — who are expected to have the greater risk of hypertension and abnormal cholesterol — were the least aﬀected by these diseases. One reason for this ﬁnding is that the population of Botswana is changing from its traditional lifestyle to more modern, less healthy habits, and younger people are more likely to adopt these changes. In contrast, older people, who are less inclined to change their habits, reﬂected a higher state of health.
South African Medical Journal, May 2009, Vol. 99, No. 5. (Garrido et al.)