Doctors use the term metabolic syndrome for a group of problems that often arrive together. It is like a warning bell for future diabetes and heart disease. And it is very common among Indians.
The five parts
You have metabolic syndrome if you have three or more of these (Indian cut-offs for the waist):
- Waist of 90 cm or more in men, 80 cm or more in women.
- Triglycerides of 150 mg/dL or more.
- HDL (“good”) cholesterol below 40 in men or below 50 in women.
- Blood pressure of 130/85 or more, or on treatment.
- Fasting sugar of 100 mg/dL or more, or on treatment.
Why the cluster forms
The root is usually insulin resistance, driven by belly fat, inactivity and poor food. Fatty liver is very often part of the same story.
Why it matters
People with metabolic syndrome have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and fatty liver. The good news is that each part improves when you act on the root cause.
What helps
- Lose 5 to 10 percent of weight, and reduce the waist.
- Walk briskly 30 to 45 minutes most days, with strength training twice a week.
- Eat vegetables, dal, whole grains and less sugar, refined flour and fried food.
- Quit tobacco and limit alcohol.
- Sleep 7 hours.
- Take medicines for BP, sugar or cholesterol if your doctor advises. Medicines and lifestyle work together.
Check regularly
Measure your waist, BP, sugar and lipids every year. If you have two of the five, you are already on the path, and a timely check may stop the third.
If you live in Gopanpally, Gowlidoddi, Nallagandla or Tellapur, or work in the Financial District or Nanakramguda, you can get a liver and metabolic health check at our clinic in Gachibowli. Our diagnostics are open from 6 AM to 11 PM daily. Contact us to book.
A real-life picture
Consider a man of 38 who works long hours in an office. His waist is 98 cm, his fasting sugar is 108, his BP is 134/86 and his triglycerides are high. He feels completely fine. Yet he already has the cluster. If he walks daily, drops 6 to 8 kilos and cuts sugary drinks and fried snacks, there is a good chance that most of these numbers will improve within six months. If he waits, he may be a diabetic in a few years. This is why the cluster is a call to act early.
Keep reading
Your family doctor,
Akhila Reddy
MBBS, DNB (Family Medicine) | TSMC Reg. No. APMC/FMR/74261
AMC Hospital, Gopanpally, Gachibowli, Hyderabad
This article is for general health education and does not replace a check-up. Every person is different, so please speak to your doctor before changing any medicine. In an emergency, call 108 or go to the nearest hospital.
References
- Alberti KGMM et al. Harmonizing the metabolic syndrome: a joint interim statement of IDF, NHLBI, AHA, WHF, IAS and IASO. Circulation 2009;120:1640-1645.
- Misra A et al. Consensus statement for diagnosis of obesity, abdominal obesity and the metabolic syndrome for Asian Indians. J Assoc Physicians India 2009;57:163-170.
- Anjana RM et al. ICMR-INDIAB study. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2023;11(7):474-489. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-8587(23)00119-5