Metabolic Syndrome: What Is It?

Metabolic syndrome: Suddenly, it's a health condition that everyone's talking about. While it was only identified less than 20 years ago, metabolic syndrome is as widespread as pimples and the common cold. According to the American Heart Association, 50 million Americans have it. That's a staggering one out of every six people.
Indeed, metabolic syndrome seems to be a condition that many people have, but no one knows very much about. It's also debated by the experts -- not all doctors agree that metabolic syndrome should be viewed as a distinct condition.
So what is this mysterious syndrome -- which also goes by the scary-sounding name Syndrome X -- and should you be worried about it?
Understanding Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is not a disease in itself. Instead, it's a group of risk factors -- high blood pressure, high blood sugar, unhealthy cholesterol levels, and abdominal fat.
Obviously, having any one of these risk factors isn't good. But when they're combined, they set the stage for grave problems. These risk factors double your risk of blood vessel and heart disease, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes. They increase your risk of diabetes by five times.
Metabolic syndrome is also becoming more common. But the good news is that it can be controlled, largely with changes to your lifestyle.
Metabolic Syndrome: The Risk Factors
According to the American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, there are five risk factors that make up metabolic syndrome.
1- Large Waist Size:
For men: 40 inches or larger

For women: 35 inches or larger
2- Cholesterol: High Triglycerides
Either 150 mg/dL or higher or Using a cholesterol medicine
3- Cholesterol: Low Good Cholesterol (HDL) Either
For men: Less than 40 mg/dL

For women: Less than 50 mg/dL or Using a cholesterol medicine
4- High Blood Pressure
Either Having blood pressure of 130/85 mm Hg or greater or
Using a high blood pressure medicine
5- Blood Sugar: High Fasting Glucose Level 100 mg/dL or higher
To be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, you would have at least three of these risk factors.
What Causes Metabolic Syndrome?
Experts aren't sure why metabolic syndrome develops. It's a collection of risk factors, not a single disease. So it probably has many different causes. Some risk factors are:
Insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone that helps your body use glucose -- a simple sugar made from the food you eat -- as energy. In people with insulin resistance, the insulin doesn't work as well so your body keeps making more and more of it to cope with the rising level of glucose. Eventually, this can lead to diabetes. Insulin resistance is closely connected to having excess weight in the belly.
Obesity - especially abdominal obesity. Experts say that metabolic syndrome is becoming more common because of rising obesity rates. In addition, having extra fat in the belly -- as opposed to elsewhere in the body - seems to increase your risk.
Unhealthy lifestyle. Eating a diet high in fats and not getting enough physical activity can play a role. Hormonal imbalance. Hormones may play a role. For instance, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) - a condition that affects fertility - is related to hormonal imbalance and metabolic syndrome.
If you've just been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, you might be anxious. But think of it as a wake-up call.

It's time to get serious about improving your health. Making simple changes to your habits now can prevent serious illness in the future.

WebMD Medical Reference
SOURCES: American Heart Association web site, "Metabolic Syndrome." Deen D, American Family Physician, June 15, 2004; vol 69: pp 2875-2882. Grundy SM et al, Circulation, 2005: vol 112: pp e285-290. Grundy SM et al, Circulation, 2005: vol 112: pp 2735-52.