Within the framework of the International WHO/CINDI Program of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, the workers of the Western Yakut Industrial Region were thrice examined in 1991-2007 for their risk factors for major chronic non-communicable diseases. The subjects of screenings were representative, random population samples of both sexes. A total of 2221 subjects were screened. The metabolic syndrome was determined according to the criteria of the US National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel (2005). There was a progressive increase in the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome: as compared to 1999, its prevalence was 2.1 and 3.6 times higher for the men in 2000 and 2007, respectively, and it was 23.0%; that was 2.2 and 3.5 times higher for the women in these years, respectively, and it was 32.4%. Whatever the year of a study, the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was 1.5-fold higher for the women than that for the men. The most marked increase in the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome over the study period was found in a group of men with a northern employment length of 10-19 years; the relative rise in its prevalence did not differ in the groups of women with different length of northern employment.