Sadhana has just come back from a complete medical examination. She has been told that she has all the signs of the metabolic syndrome. She is at risk for developing major health problems. She is concerned and more than a little anxious. What is the metabolic syndrome?

Over the past few decades, India is facing a rapid transition in health problems. The common problems of infection have now been overtaken by chronic health conditions. High blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease have become the major health burdens for India and this will increase in the coming years. It has been reported that India suffers the highest loss in potentially productive years of life, due to death from heart disease in people aged 35-64 years. India also has the largest number of people with diabetes in the world.

Heart disease is already the leading cause of death in women and in India this number will soon overtake the number of men dying of heart disease. One of the reasons that this is happening is the occurrence of the metabolic syndrome.

What is the metabolic syndrome?

People with the metabolic syndrome are at an increased risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. The metabolic syndrome is characterized by a group of metabolic risk factors in one person.  They include:

• Central obesity (excessive fat tissue in and around the abdomen)

   

• Dyslipidemia (abnormal levels of fat in the blood, mainly high triglycerides and low HDL or “good” cholesterol 

   

• Insulin resistance or glucose intolerance

   

• Raised blood pressure (equal to or more than130/85 mm Hg )

   

The root cause of most cases of metabolic syndrome can be traced back to poor eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle.

All of the factors associated with metabolic syndrome are interrelated. Obesity and lack of exercise tend to lead to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance has a negative effect on lipid production, increasing VLDL (very low-density lipoprotein), LDL (low-density lipoprotein – the “bad” cholesterol), and triglyceride levels in the bloodstream and decreasing HDL (high-density lipoprotein – the “good” cholesterol). This can lead to fatty plaque deposits in the arteries which, over time, can lead to heart disease, blood clots, and strokes. Insulin resistance also leads to increased insulin and glucose levels in the blood. Excess insulin increases sodium retention by the kidneys, which increases blood pressure and can lead to hypertension. Chronically elevated glucose levels in turn damage blood vessels and organs, such as the kidneys, and may lead to diabetes.