Obesity and metabolic syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is the name for a clustering of medical conditions that raises your risk for IHD (Ischaemic Heart disease), Stroke and Type-II Diabetes Mellitus. According to new IDF (International Diabetes Federation) definition, metabolic syndrome is defined as central obesity plus any two of the following risk factors – Hypertension, Raised Fasting Plasma Glucose, Raised triglycerides and Reduced HDL cholesterol. It is estimated that around 20-25 per cent of the world’s adult population have the metabolic syndrome and they are twice as likely to die from and three times as likely to have a heart attack or stroke compared with people without the syndrome. In addition, people with metabolic syndrome have a five fold greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes.