What defines metabolic syndrome?

Metabolic syndrome is characterized by a clustering of metabolic factors that significantly increase the risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. This term encompasses a group of conditions, including increased blood pressure, elevated blood sugar levels, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol levels. The combination of these factors creates a greater health risk than any one factor alone, which is why it is vital to consider them together as a syndrome.

Identifying metabolic syndrome involves looking for at least three of the following conditions: abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, and high fasting blood sugar. Understanding this clustering is crucial for both prevention and intervention strategies, emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive approach to health rather than focusing solely on individual risk factors.

The other options do not accurately reflect the definition of metabolic syndrome. A single metabolic factor would not encompass the complexity of multiple interrelated factors, while the absence of chronic disease contradicts the very nature of metabolic syndrome, which indicates increased risk for chronic conditions. A decrease in cardiac output relates more specifically to cardiovascular function rather than an aggregated set of metabolic issues.