How Common Is Metabolic Syndrome?
In 2001, the National Cholesterol Education Program (sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) proposed the following criteria for the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome. A person needs to have at least three of the following five factors to be diagnosed with the condition: • abdominal obesity (a waist circumference greater than 40 inches in men or 35 inches in women) • triglyceride levels of 150 mg/dL or greater • high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels of less than 40 mg/dL in men or 50 mg/dL in women • blood pressures of 130/85 mm Hg or higher, or taking antihypertensive medication • fasting blood glucose levels of 110 mg/dL or greater While only 7% of men and women age 20 to 29 meet this definition of metabolic syndrome, the percentage rises to more than 40% of those age 60 and older. Metabolic syndrome is more common in Mexican Americans (32%) than in whites (24%) or blacks (22%). What Causes Metabolic Syndrome? Virtually all people with metabolic syndrome
