Sex-Specific Prevalence of Metabolic Abnormalities by Trend of Urbanization and Age, Among Adults in Burkina Faso: Analysis Using the National Baseline Data

Introduction: Metabolic abnormalities increase with the epidemiological transition in Sub-Saharan African area. Objective: To report the sex-specific prevalence of metabolic abnormalities in Burkinabè adults by the trend of urbanization and age, using the national baseline data. Methods: Data of 4365 male/female participants to the 2013 Burkina Faso Stepwise approach to surveillance survey were analysed, including sociodemographic parameters (with four age-groups of 25-34; 35-44; 45-54 and 55-64 years). The urbanization trend was the four categories derived from the quartiles of the urbanization rates of the 13 Burkinabè regions. The metabolic abnormalities were defined using the International Diabetes Federation criteria (raised waist circumference [WC], blood pressure [BP], fasting blood glucose [FBG] and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C]). Results: Between quartiles, the sex-specific prevalences (%) of abnormalities significantly differed and the extremes were: 71.1-81.2 in men^(♂), 75.9-81.2 in women^(♀) for low HDL-C; 32.8-48.2^(♂), 21.5-51.6^(♀) for elevated BP; 3.4-7.3^(♂), 30.8-45.5^(♀) for high WC; 6.2-11.0^(♂), 6.7-14.2^(♀) for high FBG; 2.8-7.3^(♂), 9.6-24.0^(♀) for participants who cumulated at least three abnormalities; and the extreme means in cumulative number of abnormalities were 1.3-1.5^(♂), 1.4-1.9^(♀). Between the four age-groups, sex-specific prevalences significantly differed and the extremes were: 71.9-81.6^(♂), 71.8-83.1^(♀) for low HDL-C; 32.3-49.1^(♂), 23.8-30.3^(♀) for elevated BP; 2.0-14.0^(♂), 24.8-65.3^(♀) for high WC; 6.4-13.0^(♂), 5.5-10.4^(♀) for high FBG; 2.5-12.0^(♂), 8.5-25.8^(♀) for individuals who cumulated at least three abnormalities; and the extreme means in number of abnormalities were 1.2-1.4^(♂), 1.4-1.9^(♀). Conclusion: The low HDL-C was very widespread in the general population in Burkina Faso, substantially increasing the risk of carrying several abnormalities, which worsened with the process of urbanization and older age, and women more severely affected.