Signs and symptoms
... Having metabolic syndrome means you have several disorders of your metabolism at the same time, including: Obesity, particularly around your waist (abdominal obesity) High blood pressure (hypertension...

Causes
... Doctors believe that the underlying cause of this cluster of risk factors is resistance to insulin — a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps regulate the amount of sugar in your body. Norm...

Risk factors
... The following factors increase your chances of developing metabolic syndrome: Age. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome increases with age, affecting less than 10 percent of people in their 20s and 40...

When to seek medical advice
... If you know you have at least one feature of metabolic syndrome — such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or an apple-shaped body — you may already have the condition and not know it...

Screening and diagnosis
... Your doctor can diagnose metabolic syndrome with a tape measure and a few simple blood tests, following criteria set out by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP). According to NCEP guideli...