Table 1 Baseline characteristics of population diagnosed with MetS according to different definitions

Participants having MetS (n, %)

3055 (35.3)

3646 (42.2)

1680 (19.4)

8643

Age, years

64.2 (58.8–72.5)*

64.0 (58.8–72.6)*

62.1 (57.1–70.8)

62.7 (57.6–71.2)

Female sex (n, %)

1790 (58.6)

2090 (57.3)

919 (54.7)*

4983 (57.7)

Body mass index (kg/m²)

29.3 ± 4.1*

28.9 ± 3.9*

30.3 ± 4.3*

27.0 ± 4.1

Waist-circumference, cm

100.0 ± 10.8*

98.9 ± 10.5*

102.0 ± 11.2*

92.8 ± 11.8

Systolic blood pressure, mmHg

145.6 ± 19.0*

145.3 ± 19.1*

144.1 ± 18.9*

138.3 ± 20.8

Diastolic blood pressure, mmHg

81.4 ± 11.4*

81.3 ± 11.4*

82.6 ± 11.7*

78.8 ± 11.4

Total cholesterol, mmol/l

5.8 ± 1.1*

5.8 ± 1.1*

5.7 ± 1.1

5.8 ± 1.0

HDL cholesterol, mmol/l

1.2 (1.0–1.4)*

1.2 (1.0–1.4)*

1.2 (1.0–1.4)*

1.4 (1.1–1.7)

Triglycerides, mmol/l

1.8 (1.4–2.3)*

1.7 (1.3–2.2)*

1.8 (1.3–2.4)*

1.3 (1.0–1.8)

Insulin, pmol/L

92 (67–129)*

88 (64–123)*

131 (111–166)*

69 (49–97)

Glucose, mg/L

5.8 (5.4–6.1)*

5.7 (4.5–6.1)*

5.8 (5.4–6.2)*

5.4 (1.1–1.7)

CRP, mg/mL

2.2 (1.0–4.4)*

2.0 (0.9–4.1)*

2.2 (1.0–4.6)*

1.5 (0.6–3.3)

Hypertension treatment (n, %)

1045 (34.2)*

1197 (32.8)*

92 (41.2)*

1873 (21.7)

Antidiabetic treatment (n, %)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

Lipid treatment (n, %)

563 (18.4)*

630 (17.3)*

353 (21.0)*

1255 (14.5)

Current smoking (n,  %)

287 (9.4)

329 (9.0)*

114 (6.8)*

813 (9.4)

Caucasian descent (n, %)

2732 (98.2)

3255 (98.1)

1482 (96.9)

7655 (97.8)

Prevalent type 2 diabetes (n, %)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0 %)

Prevalent CHD (n, %)

218 (7.1)*

249 (6.8)*

121 (7.2)*

518 (6.0)

Prevalent Stroke (n, %)

95 (3.1)*

107 (3.0)*

54 (3.2)*

196 (2.3)