Metabolic syndrome is claimed to affect Americans in a much larger scale today than in the past. This condition is a cluster of metabolic risk factors such as increased blood pressure, a high blood sugar level, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels. When all these are present, it predisposes the body to deadly health problems such as heart attack, stroke and even diabetes.
The American Heart Association reports that it affects 34% of adults. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome has increased through the years. Overall, from 2011 to 2012, the prevalence increased from 32.9% to 34.7%.
"While it is disturbing that we did not see a decrease in the prevalence, it is somewhat reassuring that the prevalence appears to have leveled off since 2007," American Heart Association president Elliott Antman, MD, of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, told MedPage Today.
When such symptoms are combined including obesity, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, it could potentially predispose the body to cardiovascular illness and even death. Healthline reports, that the rate of metabolic syndrome has stayed in a plateau for years, the rate of those affected still raises concerns especially that it entails various health consequences linked to the syndrome.
According to the American College of Cardiology president Dr. Kim Williams Sr. ,"This will become an even more pervasive epidemic unless lifestyle changes -- lower calorie, lower fat, more plant-based nutrition, and consistent moderate exercise -- are embraced by the American public starting preferably in the young."
He added, "But in this regard, everyone is younger than they will be tomorrow -- the time to start is now."
AHA releases their criteria for patients to be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. Below are the parameters they released and incurring two or more could signal metabolic syndrome.
1. Abdominal obesity (Waist circumference of 40 inches or above in men, and 35 inches or above in women)
2. Triglyceride level of 150 milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL) or greater
3. HDL cholesterol of less than 40 mg/dL in men or less than 50 mg/dL in women
4. Systolic blood pressure (top number) of 130 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or greater, or diastolic blood pressure (bottom number) of 85 mm Hg or greater
5. Fasting glucose of 100 mg/dL or greater
