Background: The objectives of this study were to report measures of internal consistency and test-retest reliability for a proxy method of detecting the metabolic syndrome with a questionnaire-based Metabolic Syndrome Surveillance tool (Met-X StL).
Methods: The Met-X StL was constructed to obtain information concerning metabolic syndrome risk factors, and added to a population-based survey targeting rural, mid-western communities in three states with above average risk for chronic disease. Two to four weeks following individual completion of the survey, we re-administered the Met-X StL to a group of one-hundred randomly selected participants and assessed the tool for internal consistency and test-retest reliability.
Results: Study participants were mostly females (70%), and of Caucasian ethnicity (97%), with an average age of 60.7 yrs. and some college education (65%). Our proxy method of detecting the metabolic syndrome revealed a prevalence of 31% in a population with mixed awareness concerning their current health status. The measures of internal consistency were acceptable (test = 0.75 | retest = 0.73). The retest reliability for each risk factor of the metabolic syndrome ranged from moderate (0.50–Physical Activity) to almost perfect agreement (0.97–BMI), while the reliability of the proxy metabolic syndrome diagnosis was substantial (0.77).
Conclusions: The Met-X StL is reliable in a rural population with an above average risk profile. This method may have application in population-based surveillance or intervention projects that wish to consider the metabolic syndrome, but are lacking the resources for clinical testing.
