Footprints of Metabolic Syndrome

ZOSIMO T. LITERATUS, RMT

International health authorities do not agree on the limits of clinical features observed to qualify for a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome. However, I believe that you get the smallest measurements as your warning levels to be conservative. Early prevention is always better than doing it late.

In health, disease reversal can be daunting and many times next to impossible at its final stage of deterioration.

The World Health Organization (1999) requires that presence of diabetes mellitus (impaired glucose tolerance, impaired fasting glucose or insulin resistance) be diagnosed first and two of the following clinical levels before a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome is warranted: blood pressure, 140/90 mmHg; dyslipidemia[1]; central obesity[2], and presence of albumin in the urine[3].

The European Group for the Study of Insulin Resistance (1999) demands that insulin resistance be at the top 25% of the fasting insulin values for non-diabetic individuals and two or more of the following: waist circumference, 94 cm (male) or 80 cm (female)[4]; dyslipidemia[5]; blood pressure, 140/90[6]; fasting plasma glucose, 6.1 mmol/L.

The US National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (2001) needs at least three of the following: waist circumference, 102 cm (male) or 88 cm (female); triglyceride, 1.695 mmol/L (150 mg/dL); HDL, 40 mg/dL (male) or 50 mg/dL (female); blood pressure, 130/85 mmHg; fasting plasma glucose, 6.1 mmol/L (110 mg/dL).

Disorders like metabolic syndrome are indicators of serious systemic imbalances that developed through the years for many reasons. However, the main culprits are inadequate nutritional intake, excessive stress, overwhelmed metabolic byproduct disposal system, and unhealthy lifestyle. All these are very influential biologically to the extent that these can even change a human genetic make up.

Health problems therefore must be taken as warning signs to do something about these negligence we dealt our own body. Our health is too precious to lose simply because we failed to take of it.
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Notes:

[1] Triglycerides, 1.695 mmol/L; HDL, 0.9 mmol/L (male) or 1.0 mmol/L (female); waist: hip ratio, 0.9 (male) or 0.85 (female). The HDL limit is a maximum limit unlike the others which minimum limits.
[2] Waist: hip ratio, 0.90 (male) or 0.85 (female); and/or body mass index, 30 kg/m2
[3] Urinary albumin excretion ratio, 20 mg/min; albumin: creatinine ration, 30 mg/g
[4] Waist circumference is the sole criteria for central obesity according to EGSIR.
[5] Triglyceride, 2.0 mmol/L and/or HDL, 1.0 mmol/L or being under dyslipidemia treatment
[6] Or being treated with antihypertensive medication

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