RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The global prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) increases susceptibility to non-communicable diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, posing significant health risks. Effective prevention and management require objective tools. The hypertriglyceridemic waist (TG+WC+) phenotype is proposed as a less expensive approach to identify individuals with metabolic syndrome and other cardiovascular risk factors. OBJECTIVE: The current aim of this investigation is to study the epidemiological characteristics of the hypertriglyceridemic waist phenotype and their correlations with cardiovascular risk factors and MetS in the Moroccan Amazigh ethnic group from the Souss region of Morocco. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 827 Amazigh adults from the Sousse region of Morocco were divided into four distinct phenotype groups: TG-WC-, TG+WC-, TG-WC+, and TG+WC+ (normal TG- or high TG+ triglycerides/normal WC- or high WC+ waist circumference). The association of the different phenotypes with MetS and other cardiovascular risk factors was established by logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of the TG+WC+ phenotype was 27.7% and varied according to age group and sex. Among subjects with the TG+WC+ phenotype, most were 41-60 years old (53.3%) and in women (74.2%). Participants with the TG+WC+ phenotype had the highest prevalence of dyslipidemia (87.3%), hypoHDLaemia (69.9%), and general obesity (37.12%). The three phenotypes TG-WC-, TG+WC- and TG-WC+ were less associated with MetS and other cardiovascular risk factors. Moreover, people with the TG+WC+ phenotype had a very high odds ratio for MetS. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the TG+WC+ phenotype exhibits a robust correlation with MetS and additional variables connected to cardiovascular risk. The TG+WC+ phenotype serves as a valuable clinical instrument for detecting individuals vulnerable to MetS and cardiovascular diseases.