Cent Eur J Public Health 2024, 32(4):243-250 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a7320

Risk of metabolic syndrome linked to tobacco smoking and caffeine consumption among Palestinian university students

Ahmad Farhoud¹, Ibrahim Mahamid¹, Mohab Najjar¹, Anas Owda¹, Omar Safarini¹, Majdeddin MohammedAli¹, Ammar Thabaleh¹, Ahmed Mousa², Abdulraziq Zarour², Yazan Alhabil¹, Lubna Suadi³, Zaher Nazzal³, Basma Damiri⁴

¹ Department of Medicine, Medicine and Health Science Faculty, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine

² Biomedical Department, Medicine and Health Science Faculty, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine

³ Family and Community Medicine Department, Medicine and Health Science Faculty, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine

⁴ Drug and Toxicology Division, Medicine and Health Science Faculty, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine

Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its association with the use of tobacco smoking and caffeine consumption among Palestinian university students.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2020 among university students at An-Najah National University in the West Bank. MetS was diagnosed according to the National Cholesterol Education Programme. We employed adjusted multiple logistic regression models to address the association between MetS and tobacco smoking and caffeine consumption.

Results: The number of participants was 392. The findings revealed that 9.2% of the students met the diagnostic criteria for MetS, with a significantly higher prevalence in males (14.1%) than females (4.8%) (p = 0.001). The study highlighted various substance use rates among participants: 20.2% smoked cigarettes, 28.6% smoked waterpipes, 5.6% smoked e-cigarettes, and 39% consumed energy drinks. Coffee (83.9%) and black tea (84.7%) were also widely consumed. Mean values of triglyceride level (p = 0.006), systolic blood pressure (p < 0.001), and diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.016) were higher in cigarette smokers than nonsmokers. Energy drink consumers had higher levels of triglycerides than non-consumers (p = 0.015). Tea consumers had decreased mean values of fast blood sugar (p = 0.020) than non-users. The adjusted binary regression revealed that cigarette smokers were at greater risk of MetS (OR = 3.48, p = 0.009), and black tea consumers were less likely to have MetS (OR = 0.37, p = 0.032). Furthermore, increased BMI was associated with an increased risk of MetS (OR = 1.09, p = 0.008). Moreover, waterpipe smokers were at a higher risk of having high triglyceride levels (OR = 5.18, p = 0.027).

Conclusion: The study illustrates the health implications of tobacco and energy drink consumption on MetS among Palestinian university students, underlining waterpipe smoking as a pressing health concern linked to elevated triglycerides. These results clarify the MetS burden in Palestine and explore new risks and protective factors.

Keywords: cigarette smoking, tobacco products, metabolic syndrome, waterpipe smoking, caffeine addiction

Received: January 31, 2022; Revised: December 7, 2024; Accepted: December 7, 2024; Published: December 30, 2024  Show citation