What are the health implications of having metabolic syndrome?
Each of the components of metabolic syndrome acts to significantly increase the risk of developing one or more diseases. As examples, excess abdominal fat is associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease; hypertension is the most important risk factor for stroke; high blood LDL and low HDL increase the risk of heart disease; and insulin resistance can be the first step on the road to type 2 diabetes.