Metabolic syndrome caused by obesity and being overweight affects 40 percent of Americans aging 40 years old and older. The said syndrome is a combination of three or more risk factors including; abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, high blood pressure, abnormal lipids, and insulin resistance (precursor of type-2 diabetes).
According to Science Daily, the enumerated cluster of risk factors causing metabolic syndrome is the newest silent killer comparable to hypertension in 1970. The research was authored by Charles H. Hennekens together with Dawn H. Sherling, M.D., and Parvathi Perumareddi.
Being overweight and obese are the major contributors of the metabolic syndrome affecting 1 in 3 adults. The findings of the researchers suggest that optimal health requires a waistline of fewer than 40 inches for women and 35 inches for men. Moreover, in terms of body mass index (BMI), the median body mass index for an adult population should be from 21 to 23 kg/m2 while the goal for individuals should be maintained in the range from 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2.
The authors further raised warning as individuals with metabolic syndrome are asymptomatic and are both underdiagnosed and undertreated. The authors then emphasized the importance of lifestyle changes starting in childhood. As the present generation of American children and adolescents reach middle age, rates of morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular diseases increases.
As reported by World Health Organization (WHO), worldwide, almost 2.8 million people die each year and an estimate of 35.8 million of global DALYs (disability-adjusted life year) are caused by obesity and being overweight. The prevalence of overweight and obesity is highest in the WHO regions of America with 62 percent for overweight and 26 percent for obesity.
Furthermore, as obesity is contributory to metabolic syndrome it is also a major risk for several cancers including; colorectal, breast and prostate. Cardiovascular diseases will remain as the leading killer because of less physical activity and refusal to lifestyle changes, as stated by Hennekens.
