METABOLIC SYNDROME: WHO IS AT RISK

‘Metabolic’ in the medical world can be translated into the processes involved in the body’s normal functioning.

Metabolic Syndrome [MSyn], formerly known as Syndrome X, is not considered a chronic condition in sense, but more known as the collection of risk factors that are known to increase the risk for an individual to develop:

  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Type 2 Diabetes
  • Mellitus [T2DM]
  • Chronic Kidney Disease [CKD].

HOW COMMON IS METABOLIC SYNDROME

MSyn is becoming quickly becoming a common diagnosis in a doctor’s surgery, globally. One study, The Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study, which was released in 2000, discovered that 19% of Australians, over the age of 25 years, had the risk factors for MSyn. From a more global sense, according to the International Diabetes Federation [IDF], its thought to be around 20-25% of the world population have MSyn, when diagnosed with MSyn, the individuals are twice as likely to suffer from a fatal myocardial incident [ie. Heart attack/Stroke] and three times as likely to have a serious myocardial incident, compared to a healthy population.

People with MSyn are also 5 times as likely to be diagnosed with T2DM, adding to the 230 million already diagnosed population.

RISK FACTORS

These risks factor can either be traits, other conditions and/or habits that increase the individual’s chance of developing a chronic condition [ie. Heart Disease]. There 5 main risk factors [as seen below] to be considered when diagnosing someone with MSyn. The manifestation of 3 of the 5 risk factors is required for a diagnosis. It also requires waist circumference to measured, comparing norms to specific ethnic and nation specific populations.

Risk Factors [IDF 2006]

Description

Cut-off points [IDF 2006]

Central Obesity

Adipose tissue [Fat] that surrounds organs within in abdomen.

Waist circumference

Increased Triglycerides levels

Triglycerides: Type of fat molecule which accounts for 95% of all dietary fats.

>1.7 mmol/L

Reduced HDL Cholesterol

HDL: ‘High-Density Lipoprotein’, is a type of protein that absorbs cholesterol and carries it to the Liver to be ‘flushed away’

M: < 1.00 mmol/L

F: < 1. 3 mm.  ol/L

Increased Resting Blood Pressure [BP]

Blood pressure: Is the pressure of blood exerted on the walls of the arteries as the heart continues to pump blood around the body.

Systolic BP: >130mmHg

Diastolic BP: >85mmHg

Increased Fast Plasma Glucose

Fast Plasma Glucose: Glucose levels measured after a period of fasting/not eating for 8-10 hrs before the test.

>5.5mmol/L

EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGISTS CAN HELP YOU GET MOVING

Exercise Physiologists can help individuals with a range of health conditions by  creating personalised exercise programs including onsite gym and home based activity options.

REFERENCES

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  2. Alberti, K. G. M., Zimmet, P., & Shaw, J. (2005). The metabolic syndrome—a new worldwide definition. The Lancet366(9491), 1059-1062.
  3. Bakker, E. A., Lee, D. C., Sui, X., Artero, E. G., Ruiz, J. R., Eijsvogels, T. M., … & Blair, S. N. (2017, August). Association of resistance exercise, independent of and combined with aerobic exercise, with the incidence of metabolic syndrome. In Mayo Clinic Proceedings(Vol. 92, No. 8, pp. 1214-1222). Elsevier.
  4. Church, T. (2011). Exercise in obesity, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. Progress in cardiovascular diseases53(6), 412-418.
  5. Hordern, M. D., Dunstan, D. W., Prins, J. B., Baker, M. K., Singh, M. A. F., & Coombes, J. S. (2012). Exercise prescription for patients with type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes: a position statement from Exercise and Sport Science Australia. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport15(1), 25-31.
  6. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/metabolic-syndrome
  7. https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2013/august/the-metabolic-syndrome/#11
  8. Johnson, J. L., Slentz, C. A., Houmard, J. A., Samsa, G. P., Duscha, B. D., Aiken, L. B., … & Kraus, W. E. (2007). Exercise training amount and intensity effects on metabolic syndrome (from Studies of a Targeted Risk Reduction Intervention through Defined Exercise). The American journal of cardiology100(12), 1759-1766.
  9. Mendes, R., Sousa, N., Almeida, A., Subtil, P., Guedes-Marques, F., Reis, V. M., & Themudo-Barata, J. L. (2016). Exercise prescription for patients with type 2 diabetes—a synthesis of international recommendations: narrative review. British journal of sports medicine50(22), 1379-1381.
  10. Paley, C. A., & Johnson, M. I. (2018). Abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome: exercise as medicine?. BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation10(1), 1-8.
  11. Said, M. A., Abdelmoneem, M., Alibrahim, M. C., Elsebee, M. A., & Kotb, A. A. H. (2020). Effects of diet versus diet plus aerobic and resistance exercise on metabolic syndrome in obese young men. Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness.
  12. Semlitsch, T., Stigler, F. L., Jeitler, K., Horvath, K., & Siebenhofer, A. (2019). Management of overweight and obesity in primary care—A systematic overview of international evidence‐based guidelines. Obesity Reviews20(9), 1218-1230.
  13. Thent, Z. C., Das, S., & Henry, L. J. (2013). Role of exercise in the management of diabetes mellitus: the global scenario. PloS one8(11), e80436.
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