Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Public Health 2251-6085 49 2 2020 02 01 360 368 Nastaran AHMADI Yazd Cardiovascular Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran Seyed Mahmood SADR Yazd Cardiovascular Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran Mohammad Reza MOHAMMADI Psychiatry and Psychology Research Center, Roozbeh Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Masoud MIRZAEI Yazd Cardiovascular Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran Amir Hooshang MEHRPARVAR Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Yazd University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran Seyed Mojtaba YASSINI ARDEKANI Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran Mohammadtaghi SAREBANHASSANABADI Yazd Cardiovascular Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran Neda NILFOROSHAN Department of Psychology, Yazd Azad University, Yazd, Iran Seyed-Ali MOSTAFAVI Psychiatry and Psychology Research Center, Roozbeh Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2020 01 29 Background: Although the prevalence of abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome has been widely studied in the adult population, little is known about it in children and adolescents especially in developing countries. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome among children and adolescents in Yazd Greater Area, Iran; over the period of 2016-2017. Methods: This study was part of a larger national study with a cross-sectional design. Using multistage cluster random sampling method, 1035 children, and adolescents of both sexes aged 6-18 yr were randomly selected from rural and urban districts in Yazd Greater Area, Iran. Components of metabolic syndrome, and anthropometry measured in the standard situation. Results: The prevalence of abdominal obesity in children 6-10 yr old was 13.2% in boys versus 24.7% in girls. The overall prevalence of metabolic syndrome according to International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria in adolescents aged 10-18 yr old was 7.6% (9.4% in boys). The most prevalent metabolic syndrome components were low HDL-cholesterol (56.2%) and abdominal obesity (27.8%). Conclusion: Comparatively, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Yazd is high. Low HDL-cholesterol levels and abdominal obesity were the most common component, and family history of heart disease, BMI, and male gender were the main determinants of metabolic syndrome in adolescents. https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/view/19589 https://ijph.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijph/article/download/19589/6674