Metabolic syndrome has emerged as an important health concern globally, especially in developing countries where urbanization and lifestyle changes are rapidly increasing. No reliable epidemiological information regarding the prevalence and risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome is available among Iraqi adults in primary health care (PHC) clinics. This study was designed to determine the prevalence rate of metabolic syndrome and identify potential risk factors among adults attending PHC centers in Baghdad. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study design was used, targeting 412 adult subjects selected randomly from multiple PHC centers in Baghdad. Sociodemographic, lifestyle, anthropometric, and biochemical data were collected. The diagnosis of metabolic syndrome was based on the NCEP ATP III criteria. Data analysis involved the use of the chi-square test, t-test, and multivariate logistic regression. Results The Overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome among adults in Baghdad PHC centers was 38.2%. Females had a significantly higher prevalence than males (44.6% and 29.1%, respectively, p = 0.003). The prevalence increased with age, reaching 57.9% in subjects aged 60 years or older. The top three components of metabolic syndrome included abdominal obesity (61.4%), low HDL-C (54.2%), and hypertension (47.0%). Logistic regression results revealed that the independent significant predictors were age ≥ 45 years (OR = 2.41), female sex (OR = 1.72), BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 (OR = 3.35), physical inactivity (OR = 1.89), and unhealthy eating habits (OR = 1.57; all p < 0.05). Discussion This paper demonstrates a high prevalence of metabolic syndrome among subjects in the PHC centers of Baghdad. It is obvious that new strategies have to be developed, such as screening, intervention programs for the modification of lifestyle behaviors, and culturally appropriate approaches to obesity, physical inactivity, and malnutrition.
