Prevalence of metabolic syndrome is increasing markedly in rural area of Korea. Alcohol drinking and smoking are the main risk factors which shows the highest prevalence rate among the risk factors of metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between metabolic syndrome and alcohol drinking and smoking histories in a rural area of Korea.

Data was obtained from 1,332(507 men, 825 women) individuals aged over 40 years who lived in rural area of Chungju city in 2007. Metabolic syndrome was defined by NCEP ATP III criteria and waist circumference was defined by WHO-APR(Asia Pacific Region). Data analysis was carried out using SAS version 8.02.

In men, adjusted odds ratio for metabolic syndrome was 2.78(1.09-7.05) for current alcohol drinker, 2.75(1.38-5.51) for past alcohol drinker, 3.25(1.58-6.67) for under 21 years old at start of alcohol drinking, 2.62(1.12-6.11) for light alcohol drinker, 6.01(2.65-13.64) for heavy alcohol drinker. In women, all the alcohol related risk factors were not statistically significant with metabolic syndrome. For all the smoking related risk factors were not statistically significant with metabolic syndrome in men and women. Adjusted odds ratio of alcohol drinking habits for each components of diagnostic criteria of metabolic syndrome was significant for high blood pressure, high fasting glucose and hypertriglyceridemia in men and abdominal obesity in women. Adjusted odds ratio of cigarette smoking habits for each components of diagnostic criteria of metabolic syndrome was significant for abdominal obesity in women.

Controlling alcohol drinking habits in men should be reinforced in order to prevent the metabolic syndrome in a rural area of Korea.