Metabolic Syndrome and the Health Consequences

June 20, 2020

3 min read

Although up to 40% of people in their 60s and 70s in the United States, a third of U.S. adults, and as many as one in four people worldwide have metabolic syndrome, many people still don't know what the syndrome is, or what consequences it has for their health. According to the Mayo Clinic, metabolic syndrome is a group of health conditions that increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. The American Heart Association says that 47 million Americans have metabolic syndrome.

First, what is metabolic syndrome? It's a collection of health risk factors that include the following:

Central obesity (increased fat deposits around the waist and abdomen)

People who have type 2 diabetes or a family history of diabetes

High blood sugar

Increased blood pressure

Abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride levels

According to the Mayo Clinic, you can be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome if you have three or more of these health indicators:

A waistline of 40 inches or greater in men, and 35 inches or greater in women.

Blood pressure of 130/85 mm Hg or higher

Triglicerides above 150 mg/dl

Fasting blood glucose greater than 100 mg/dl

An HDL (high density lipoprotein) level less than 40 mg/dl for men or 50 mg/dl for women.

What does it mean if you have these conditions and have been told by a clinician that you have metabolic syndrome? What are your health consequences? With common sense, we know that being very overweight is risky for our health. High blood sugar and high blood pressure are also bad for our health. Combining these factors with high cholesterol and triglicerides means the risk of vascular disease and diabetes becomes very high.

The specific health risks have been confirmed through many different research studies. Studies of U.S. and European populations indicate that people who had metabolic syndrome were between 9 and 34 times as likely as people without metabolic syndrome to develop type 2 diabetes within five years. A study of men in Finland with metabolic syndrome found that they were four times more likely to die of a heart attack or stroke within ten years than men who did not have metabolic syndrome.

Women with metabolic syndrome also have a high risk of developing heart disease and vascular disease (stroke). In addition, among women with metabolic syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) occurs more frequently. Two of the features of metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance and obesity, are linked to breast cancer. Some studies have shown that breast cancer risk increases by 40% among women whose BMI is in the top 25%. This risk can be increased if you have other metabolic syndrome conditions.

One of the primary consequences of metabolic syndrome is type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance and high blood sugar are pre-diabetic conditions. Diabetes damages your body in many ways. It can damage your large and small blood vessels. Diabetes itself is linked to heart attacks and strokes. It can also cause blindness and comes with a high risk of infection. People with diabetes can lose a limb to infection because diabetic nerve damage (neuropathy) means they can't see or feel injuries that could lead to infection, particularly in their lower legs and feet.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says that metabolic syndrome's relationship to chronic disease and premature death has been documented for many decades. The CDC also reports that metabolic syndrome can be associated with greater risk for arthritis, chronic kidney disease, and several types of cancer in addition to breast cancer.

If you've been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, you can take steps to improve your health and reduce your risk of serious, life-threatening heart disease, stroke, cancer, or type 2 diabetes. According to the Mayo Clinic, you can adopt a healthy lifestyle and reduce or eliminate the health indicators that indicate metabolic syndrome. You should get at least 30 minutes of exercise every day, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, limit saturated fat and sugar, maintain a healthy weight, and if you smoke or use tobacco products, stop using them.