Metabolic syndrome: The Indian public health perspective

Publication date: Available online 13 January 2020Source: Medical Journal Armed Forces IndiaAuthor(s): Rajvir BhalwarAbstractMetabolic Syndrome (MetS) is a clustering of specific risk factors, namely, central obesity, raised blood pressure, impaired fasting glucose, raised triglycerides, and low levels of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C). This constellation is triggered by insulin resistance and its resultant hyperinsulinemia. The two most important and universally agreed causes of insulin resistance are increased body fat (particularly central obesity) and physical inactivity. Other causes include certain genetic/pro-genetic factors, unhealthy atherogenic diet, tobacco use, and excessive alcohol intake. Within 3 decades of the initial description of MetS by Reaven, various defining criteria have been developed by now, by leading international professional bodies, the most commonly used being the one given by the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) [NCEP-ATP-III], the updated guidelines recently released by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA). MetS has been well documented to increase the risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD) by two to three times and of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by five times. The world-wide prevalence is on the increase, with the overall global prevalence estimated to be 20%–25% of the adult population. In our country, various epide...
Source: Medical Journal Armed Forces India - Category: General Medicine Source Type: research