Methods: This study was performed using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) form 2010 to 2014. The KNHANES is a complex, stratified, multistage, probability cluster survey and also the sample data represents the Republic of Korea. Included number of postmenopausal women was 7,123, and the weighted sample size was 6,530,873. General characteristics, clinical characteristics, HRQOL, and five components of metabolic syndrome including triglyceride level, high density lipoprotein level, hypertention, diabetes, and abdominal obesity were evaluated and correlated with variables of sample at individual and contextual level. After applying sampling weights, the data was analyzed with chi-square test, logistic regression, Poisson regression, and Tobit regression. The used statiscal programs were SPSS 23 and STATA 13.
Results: The mean age of sample was 62 and self-reported menopause age was 48. The increase in prevalence of metabolic syndrome according to increase of the postmenopausal age was statistically significant (p for trend < .001). The beginning point of the rapid change in slope was with the 50-54 age-group. And Body Mass Index (BMI), education level, employment status, house income and time lapse of postmenopause were statistically significant in both logistic regression and Poisson regression model. As the number of metabolic syndrome components increased, HRQOL among postmenopausal women was decreased (β = -0.025, p<.001). Of five components, factors had a great effect on the HRQOL are high blood pressure (β = -0.067, p<.001) and abdominal obesity(β = -0.047, p=.003).
Conclusion: Metabolic syndrome affect the HRQOL and weight control is the key factor in preventing metabolic syndrome among Korean postmenopausal women. Since the vulnerable groups’ socioeconomic status was low, intervention programs should be done at community or national level, considering the critical time point.