The Metabolic Syndrome

The metabolic syndrome is not a specific disease but a cluster of factors, often occurring together in the same person, that put one at risk for developing cardiovascular disease. There is currently some debate regarding the specific definition of the metabolic syndrome, but the most accepted group of factors that are required to make the diagnosis are listed in Table 1.1 These factors are most frequently found in people with either abdominal obesity, in whom most excess body fat is located in the abdomen, or a decreased ability of the body to use insulin, which is known as insulin resistance. A diagnosis does not require all 5 risk factors. A person is considered to have the metabolic syndrome if he or she has 3 or more of these factors. There is a subgroup of white, black, and Hispanic adults who are genetically predisposed to developing insulin resistance at lower waist circumferences than those listed in Table 1.1 View this table:TABLE 1. Factors Required for the Diagnosis of the Metabolic …