Background: The geriatric population in North Bihar is increasingly vulnerable to metabolic syndrome due to biological ageing and limited healthcare access 1, 4. This study investigates the prevalence of metabolic disorders, specifically type-2 diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, among the elderly in Darbhanga, India. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 geriatric subjects (aged ≥60 years) recruited from urban and semi-urban clusters in Darbhanga using purposive random sampling. Anthropometric measurements (BMI) 15, clinical blood pressure 16, and biochemical parameters (fasting blood glucose 2 and total serum cholesterol) 11 were assessed. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20.0. Results: The study revealed a high prevalence of metabolic dysfunctions: hypertension in 45% of subjects, hypercholesterolemia in 38%, hyperglycemia in 32%, and overweight/obesity in 32% 15. A significant "diagnosis gap" of 25% was identified, where subjects were unaware of their chronic conditions. Significant positive correlations were observed between advancing age, elevated BMI, and metabolic abnormalities (p<0.05). Conclusion: Metabolic syndrome is highly prevalent yet significantly underdiagnosed among the elderly in Darbhanga 4, 8, 12. The findings underscore an urgent need for targeted geriatric screening programs and public health interventions in North Bihar 14, 17.
Dr. Md. Junaid (2026) studied this question.