Metabolic syndrome

The metabolic syndrome is not a disease as such but a set of predisposing factors to diabetes or cardiovascular diseases.

Definitions vary although the most widely used (based on the American criteria of the NCEP ATP III) is the presence of three of the following five risk factors:

• a waistline of over 102 centimetres in men or over 88 centimetres in women;
• a good cholesterol (HDL) level of less than 40 grams per litre in men or 50 grams per litre in women;
• triglycerides of over 1.5 grams per litre ;
• fasting glycaemia of over 1.1 grams per litre;
• and blood pressure over 130-85 millimetres of mercury.

The metabolic syndrome is increasing as it is caused by a sedentary lifestyle and "poor diet". It is also sometimes associated with a genetic cause.

These factors lead to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, etc.).