Key Points

• Metabolic syndrome is the name for a group of risk factors that increase your chance for heart disease and other health problems such as diabetes and stroke.
• The diagnosis of metabolic syndrome is made if you have any three out of these five heart disease risk factors: a large waistline, a higher than normal triglyceride level, a lower than normal level of HDL cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol), higher than normal blood pressure, and higher than normal fasting blood sugar (glucose).
• About 47 million adults in the United States (almost 25 percent) have metabolic syndrome. The rate of metabolic syndrome continues to rise as obesity levels increase.
• Metabolic syndrome has several causes that act together. Some can be controlled, while others can’t.
• To diagnose metabolic syndrome, your doctor evaluates your risk factors and checks your waist size, cholesterol, blood pressure, triglycerides, and blood sugar.
• The first line of treatment for metabolic syndrome is lifestyle changes, including weight loss, increased physical activity, and a healthy diet. If lifestyle changes can’t control your risk factors, your doctor may recommend medicines.
• Healthy lifestyle choices can help prevent metabolic syndrome. But if you develop metabolic syndrome, healthy lifestyle changes also can help to reverse or reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes and complications of those conditions.
• If you have metabolic syndrome, follow a healthy eating plan and increase your physical activity to manage your weight; quit smoking; and take all of your medicines as your doctor prescribes.