---

Background and Objective: The metabolic syndrome is a cluster of metabolic disorders that are associated with elevated risk of cardiovascular diseases and type-II diabetes. This study investigated the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among adolescents population in Gorgan, Northern Iran - 2009.

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 450 adolescents 15-17 years, selected through 2 stage cluster randomized sampling from high schools. Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose and lipid profile were assessed. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to NHANES III criteria. Data was analyzed by SPSS-16 software, Chi-Square and logestic regration.

Results: The overall metabolic syndrome prevalence was 3.3% (CI 95%:1.8–5.4). More than half of cases (54.6%) had at least 1 or 2 components. High triglyceride level was the most common disorder in both genders (boys 27.6%, girls 52.4%) and then low HDL cholesterol level (17.3%) and central obesity (7.6%) were common among boys and girls respectively. Where as abdominal obesity in boys (0.9%) and hypertension in girls (3.1%) were less common.

Conclusion: This study showed that the rate of metabolic syndrome is slightly lower but the obsity in adolescents is higher than other parts of country.

---

Background and Objective: Eotaxin is a pre-inflammatory adipokinin secreted from adipose tissue that plays an important role in function regulating of adipose tissue. This study was done to determine the effect of high-intensity interval training on the gene expression of eotaxin in visceral adipose tissue and insulin resistance following metabolic syndrome in rats.
Methods: In this experimental study, 40 male Wistar rats (weight 180±20 gr) were selected and after 12 weeks of high-fat diet and the creation of the metabolic syndrome model were randomly divided into four groups including  control, metabolic syndrome, High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and metabolic syndrome with HIIT. Rats in the high-fat diet were subjected to a special diet (30 to 40% fat) for 12 weeks to develop a model of metabolic syndrome. HIIT consisted of 5 to 10 interval 1-minute intensive running on treadmill at 80 to 95% of maximum speed and in slow alternations at 55% of maximum speed for 8 weeks. Insulin resistance using HOMA-IR mode is considered as a basic factor for determining metabolic syndrome.
Results: The gene expression of eotaxin and insulin resistance in the metabolic syndrome group were significantly higher than the control group (P<0.05). Gene expression of eotaxin and insulin resistance was significantly lower in HIIT and metabolic syndrome with HIIT groups than the metabolic syndrome group (P<0.05). Also, the gene expression of eotaxin and insulin resistance was significantly lower in HIIT group than the metabolic syndrome with HIIT group.
Conclusion: It seems that HIIT may be an important factor in down-regulating eotaxin and insulin resistance in metabolic syndrome.

---

Background and Objective: Having a proper diet is very important. Many risk factors are involved in the development of cardiovascular disease that by changing them, the incidence of this disease can be reduced. This study was performed to determine the relationship between nutritional knowledge and level of physical activity with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and some cardiovascular risk factors in militaries men.
Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 97 athletes and non-athletes militaries men. The standard Parmenter and Wardle Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire of 1999 and Baecke Physical Activity Questionnaire were completed. Subjects' fitness scores and physical indicators were measured. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome, based on revised ATP ш and IDF was calculated.
Results: The mean nutritional knowledge of the subjects was moderate to low. There was a significant correlation between the nutritional knowledge, level of physical activity and fitness score and cardiovascular risk factors (P<0.05). Also there was a significant correlation between the nutritional knowledge, level of physical activity and fitness score with preventing metabolic syndrome (P<0.05).
Conclusion: With increasing nutritional knowledge, physical activity and fitness scores the risk of cardiovascular factors reduces and the possibility of metabolic syndrome prevention increase.