Adiponectin levels and metabolic syndrome: Sex-based insights from a Nigerian university community

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a cluster of clinical abnormalities that increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases as well as type 2 diabetes mellitus. Adiponectin, an energy-regulating hormone secreted by adipocytes, has been implicated in metabolic health and may be inversely related to MS. This cross-sectional study assessed serum adiponectin levels and the prevalence of MS among adults in a Nigerian university community. A total of 273 participants (181 males, 92 females) were evaluated. Serum adiponectin was measured using ELISA, anthropometric indices were recorded using standard protocols, and BMI was used to categorize participants into normal, overweight, and obese groups. Descriptive statistics were presented as means ± standard deviation. Chi-square analysis assessed the association between sex and MS. Independent t -tests compared adiponectin levels across BMI categories and between participants with and without MS. A p-value < 0.05 (p < 0.05) was considered statistically significant. Similar (p > 0.05) Adiponectin levels were seen between normal and obese males (p = 0.890) or females (p = 0.448), nor between individuals with and without MS (p = 0.949). The overall prevalence of MS was 11.7%, with a significantly higher prevalence in females (20.7%) than males (7.2%) (p = 0.001). Females had higher odds of developing MS (OR = 2.875; 95% CI: 1.487–5.560). While MS was more prevalent among females, serum adiponectin levels were not significantly influenced by BMI or MS status. Further research is recommended to better understand adiponectin's role in MS within this population.