Metabolic syndrome is a group of conditions that put you at risk for heart disease and diabetes. Not all doctors agree on the definition or cause of metabolic syndrome. The cause might be insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone your body produces to help you turn sugar from food into energy for your body. If you are insulin resistant, too much sugar builds up in your blood, setting the stage for disease.

The 'Metabolic Syndrome' is a widely prevalent and multi-factorial disorder that presents in a distinct, albeit heterogenous phenotype. Although obesity and insulin resistance are not synonymous with the metabolic syndrome, they are integral features in this derangement of adipocyte physiology and carbohydrate metabolism. It is now established that this syndrome predicts the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease.

Metabolic syndrome (also known as metabolic syndrome X) is a grouping of cardiac risk factors that result from insulin resistance (when the body's tissues do not respond normally to insulin). A person with metabolic syndrome has a greatly increased risk of cardiovascular disease and premature death.

Causes

The exact cause of metabolic syndrome is not known. Many features of the metabolic syndrome as associated with "insulin resistance." Insulin resistance means that the body does not use insulin efficiently to lower glucose and triglyceride levels. Insulin resistance is a combination of genetic and lifestyle factors. Lifestyle factors include diet, activity and perhaps interrupted sleep patterns (such as sleep apnea).

Metabolic syndrome is present in about 5% of people with normal body weight, 22% of those who are overweight and 60% of those considered obese. Adults who continue to gain five or more pounds per year raise their risk of developing metabolic syndrome by up to 45%.

Diagnosis

There are currently two major definitions for metabolic syndrome provided by the International Diabetes Federation and the revised National Cholesterol Education Program, respectively. The revised NCEP and IDF definitions of metabolic syndrome are very similar and it can be expected that they will identify many of the same individuals as having metabolic syndrome. The two differences are that IDF excludes any subject without increased waist circumference, while in the NCEP definition metabolic syndrome can be diagnosed based on other criteria and the IDF uses geography-specific cut points for waist circumference, while NCEP uses only one set of cut points for waist circumference regardless of geography. These two definitions are much closer to each other than the original NCEP and WHO definitions.

Treatment

Tackling one of the risk factors of metabolic syndrome is tough — taking on all of them might seem overwhelming. But aggressive lifestyle changes and, in some cases, medication can improve all of the metabolic syndrome components. Getting more physical activity, losing weight and quitting smoking help reduce blood pressure and improve cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

The goal of management of the metabolic syndrome is to control the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. In most cases, a trial of lifestyle modifications (such as weight loss, exercise and smoking cessation) is appropriate as a first-line intervention. Dairy Australia Cardiovascular Health Factsheet Click here to learn more about cardiovascular health and lifestyle.