Belly fat, high blood pressure, issues with blood sugar – these are pretty common conditions. But, when you have these conditions together, it could mean you have metabolic syndrome.
Metabolic syndrome is a group of conditions that make it more likely you'll have heart disease, a stroke, or diabetes. If you have metabolic symdrome, you have at least 3 of these conditions:
- Central obesity — a high amount of fat around the waist
- Low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol
- High triglycerides — a type of fat measured in the blood
- High blood pressure
- High fasting blood sugar
Metabolic syndrome makes you more likely to have:
Metabolic Syndrome Treatment at UVA Health
It's important to treat the causes of your metabolic syndrome. Treatment may include:
- Losing weight (by at least 10%)
- More exercise (30-60 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise, 4 or more days per week)
- Lowering your blood pressure (to below 130/85 mmHg with diet, exercise, and possibly medicine)
- Improve triglyceride and HDL cholesterol levels (through diet, exercise, and possibly medicine)
Gastric bypass or other weight-loss surgery may help treat metabolic syndrome.
Treatment of Specific Metabolic Issues
Medicines can help you manage:
- High blood pressure
- Insulin resistance
- High cholesterol
- Clotting tendency
Metabolic Syndrome Prevention
To reduce your chances of getting metabolic syndrome, take these steps:
- Quit smoking.
- Maintain a healthy weight by eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
- Exercise about 30 minutes at least four days per week.
- Drink alcohol in moderation.
Will I Get Metabolic Syndrome?
You're more likely to have metabolic syndrome if you:
- Are Mexican-American, Caucasian, or African American ethnicity
- Are obese
- Have disorders or conditions associated with metabolic disorder, such as:
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Cholesterol problems
- Coronary artery disease
- Polycystic ovary syndrome
- Have a family history of the disorders listed above
- Don't exercise
- Have a poor diet
- Have unhealthy habits, such as smoking
- Take certain medications, such as atypical antipsychotics
How We Diagnose Your Metabolic Syndrome
We may diagnose you with metabolic syndrome if you have at least 3 of the following:
- A waist measurement greater than 40 inches in Caucasian men (35 inches in Asian men) or 35 inches in Caucasian women (30 inches in Asian women)
- Fasting glucose level greater than or equal to 100 mg/dL* (5.55 mmol/L)
- Triglyceride level greater than or equal to 150 mg/dL (1.7 mmol/L)
- HDL cholesterol less than 40 mg/dL (1.0 mmol/L) in men and less than 50 mg/dL (1.3 mmol/L) in women
- Blood pressure greater than or equal to 130/85 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg)
*mg/dL = milligrams per deciliter blood, mmol/L = millimoles per liter blood