Figure 1.

Participant selection pipeline from the original GOBS dataset applying MetS criteria scores based on a composite of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and National Cholesterol Education Program‐Adult Treatment Plan III (NCEP‐ATP III). Criteria for metabolically healthy control group was determined by including participants with a composite MetS score of ≤1.5. Criteria for MetS case group was determined by including participants fulfilling the WC criteria of the IDF and achieving a MetS score of ≥3.0. A few borderline individuals (3 controls and 6 MetS) were added to provide age‐ and sex‐matched symmetry in the final analysis