Associations of Relative Humidity and Lifestyles with Metabolic Syndrome among the Ecuadorian Adult Population: Ecuador National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT-ECU) 2012

Christian F. Juna, Yoon Hee Cho, Dongwoo Ham and Hyojee Joung
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Christian F. Juna: Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
Yoon Hee Cho: Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA
Dongwoo Ham: Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
Hyojee Joung: Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 23, 1-12

Abstract: The effects of the physical environment on metabolic syndrome (MetS) are still largely unexplained. This study aimed to analyze the associations of relative humidity of residence, lifestyles, and MetS among Ecuadorian adults. Data from 6024 people aged 20 to 60 years were obtained from an Ecuador national population-based health and nutrition survey (i.e., ENSANUT-ECU, 2012) and the mean annual relative humidity (%) from the Ecuador National Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (2012). Odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for MetS according to groups of relative humidity were calculated using multiple logistic regression. Living in high relative humidity (>80%) increased ORs of reduced high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (1.25; 95 % CI, 1.06–1.56) and MetS (OR = 1.20; 95 % CI,1.01–1.42) in women. Furthermore, physically active men living in high relative humidity showed lower OR of elevated triglycerides (0.56; 95 % CI,0.37–0.85) while menopausal women living in high relative humidity showed increased ORs of MetS (5.42; 95 % CI, 1.92–15.27), elevated blood pressure (3.10; 95 % CI, 1.15–8.35), and increased waist circumference (OR = 1.34; 95 % CI, 1.09–1.63). Our results show that residence in high relative humidity and menopausal status increase ORs of MetS and its components in Ecuadorian women; however, physical activity significantly reduces the OR of elevated triglycerides in men. The obtained findings may help make public health policies regarding environmental humidity management, nutritional education, menopausal care, and physical activity promotion to prevent the onset of MetS among Ecuadorian adults.

Keywords: relative humidity; metabolic syndrome; physical activity; menopause; ENSANUT-ECU; 2012 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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