Prevalence of Atisthaulya and Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors Among Adults in Selected Panchayats of Malappuram District, Kerala: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Obesity is an important modifiable contributor to chronic disease, including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Metabolic syndrome is a clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors, including central obesity, elevated blood pressure, raised glucose and dyslipidaemia. Atisthaulya, described in Ayurveda as excessive accumulation of Meda and Mamsa dhatu, has clinical overlap with contemporary concerns about obesity and cardiometabolic risk. District-level data from Malappuram were reported to be limited. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of Atisthaulya and metabolic syndrome among adults aged 20–50 years in selected Panchayats of Malappuram district, Kerala, and describe their sociodemographic, lifestyle, anthropometric and biochemical characteristics. Methods: This cross-sectional study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Atisthaulya and metabolic syndrome among adults aged 20–50 years in selected Panchayats of Malappuram district. Three Panchayats were selected using a geographical sampling approach. A total of 1,000 participants of both sexes were recruited by cluster sampling: 333 participants from each of two Panchayats and 334 from the third. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, anthropometric measurements, blood pressure assessment and laboratory investigations. Metabolic Syndrome was assessed using Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) criteria, while Atisthaulya was classified using specified Ayurvedic clinical features. Results: The manuscript reports an overall prevalence of Atisthaulya of 14.3% and metabolic syndrome of 8.5%. Within the reported metabolic syndrome group, 85.89% were aged 41–50 years and 83.34% were women. Most participants in the metabolic syndrome group reportedly did not exercise regularly (91.77%). Conclusion: The reported findings indicate a potential burden of obesity-related and cardiometabolic risk in the sampled population.