Introduction
Metabolic syndrome is a group of related health conditions that includes:
Having metabolic syndrome greatly increases your odds of experiencing a serious illness, such as heart attack, stroke and diabetes. Someone with metabolic syndrome is at twice the risk of heart disease and five times the risk of type 2 diabetes as the average person.
Causes/Risk Factors
An unhealthy lifestyle causes metabolic syndrome. If you eat more calories than you need, don't exercise enough and are obese or overweight (especially around the waist), you may develop insulin resistance. As a result, your body won't be able to regulate its use of insulin correctly and your blood sugar levels will begin to increase. This can lead to type 2 diabetes.
Other factors that make you more likely to develop metabolic syndrome include age, hormonal imbalances and a family history of type 2 diabetes.
Specific measures of risk include:
- a waist measurement of 40 inches or greater for men and 35 inches or greater for women
- triglyceride concentrations of 1.7 mmol/L (millimoles per litre) for men and women
- HDL cholesterol with concentrations equal to, or less than, 1 mmol/L for men and 1.3 mmol/L for women
- blood pressure (BP) of 130/85 or more for men or women (or taking BP medication)
- fasting blood sugar concentrations of 6.0-7.0 mmol/L
People with metabolic syndrome typically have apple-shaped bodies.
What You Can Do
Get to know your numbers: your blood pressure, blood sugar, triglyceride and cholesterol levels, and waist circumference.
Engage in 30-60 minutes of physical activity daily. This will help you to lose weight which, in turn, will lower your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and increase your HDL cholesterol levels. Exercise can also lower your blood pressure and help your heart to function better.
Eat fresh, whole foods and avoid sugary, processed foods. Follow the recommendations of Canada's Food Guide.
Don't smoke and avoid secondhand smoke. If you do smoke, take steps to quit immediately.
Stress can raise your blood pressure and drive you to emotional eating. Build stress resilience by addressing any underlying emotional issues and learning to use stress-reduction techniques.
Many of the unhealthy habits and choices that lead to metabolic syndrome arise from serious emotional challenges, often stemming as far back as childhood. Seek counselling if necessary. Your doctor can refer you to a counsellor and you may even be able to receive counselling for free.
Further Resources
Contact the Canadian Diabetes Association at www.diabetes.ca/section_about/msym.asp or 1-800-226-8464.
