Table 1.

Geographical differences in pooled metabolic syndrome (MetS) prevalence

Region	No. studies	Pooled MetS prevalence	Cochran Q
Australia and New Zealand*	6	50.2% (95% CI: 35.3%-65.0%)	73.8, p<0.001
Middle-East	6	35.3% (95% CI: 31.3%-39.5%)	1287.6, p<0.001
North-America	46	32.4% (95% CI: 24.7%-40.8%)	38.0, p<0.001
Europe	81	32.0% (95% CI: 29.4%-34.7%)	1226.4, p<0.001
Asia	50	31.0% (95% CI: 27.7%-34.4%)	691.3, p<0.001
South-America	10	25.8% (95% CI: 20.7%-31.3%)	42.3, p<0.001

Country	No. studies	Pooled MetS prevalence	Cochran Q
Australia	5	50.2% (95% CI: 32.9%-67.4%)	72.7, p<0.001
South Korea	7	38.9% (95% CI: 30.8%-47.3%)	103.3, p<0.001
The Netherlands	11	36.5% (95% CI: 29.0%-44.4%)	167.3, p<0.001
USA	38	36.4% (95% CI: 32.0%-40.9%)	1217.8, p<0.001
Croatia	7	33.1% (95% CI: 24.6%-42.3%)	39.1, p<0.001
Spain	12	31.0% (95% CI: 24.5%-37.9%)	210.3, p<0.001
Finland	5	30.4% (95% CI: 21.8%-39.8%)	17.9, p<0.001
Taiwan	13	29.8% (95% CI: 24.7%-35.1%)	124.1, p<0.001
Germany	6	28.7% (95% CI: 19.2%-39.2%)	62.8, p<0.001
Canada	5	27.4% (95% CI: 17.3%-38.7%)	44.2, p<0.001
India	16	26.3% (95% CI: 19.0%-34.3%)	193.0, p<0.001
Brazil	8	25.4% (95% CI: 18.5%-32.9%)	39.4, p<0.001

^*Significantly higher than in other regions, p<0.01