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Metabolic Syndrome Affects 1 in 5 Americans

The metabolic syndrome, affects more than 20% of the US population, according to a report in the February 24th Archives of Internal Medicine.

The metabolic syndrome includes high blood pressure, low HDL cholesterol level, high triglyceride level, high plasma glucose concentration, and obesity, the authors explain; the syndrome is defined by three or more of those conditions. Its prevalence in the US was previously uncertain.

Dr. Steven Heymsfield from the Obesity Research Center of Columbia University in New York and colleagues used data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) to estimate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in 3305 black, 3477 Mexican American, and 5581 white men and women aged 20 years and older.

Overall, the authors report, 22.8% of men and 22.6% of women satisfied the Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel (ATP III) guidelines for the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome.

The prevalence was higher in Mexican American (20.8%) and white (24.3%) men than in black men (13.9%), the report indicates, and higher in Mexican American women (27.2%) than in black (20.9%) and white (22.9%) women.

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome increased significantly with advancing age, the researchers note.

According to multiple regression models, additional independent risk factors for metabolic syndrome included current smoking, high carbohydrate intake, and physical inactivity in men, as well as current and previous smoking, non-drinking, low household income, and postmenopausal status in women.

"Metabolic syndrome is extremely common, particular in some age, weight, and minority groups," increasing physical activity "is the most potent lifestyle treatment for metabolic syndrome," said Dr. Heymsfield. "Metabolic syndrome is most sensitive to treatment in the 'overweight' range, so even if you are few pounds overweight you may have great health benefits from small weight loss."  Arch Intern Med 2003;163:427-736,395-397.

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