Poster 1928 One in Five Adults in the United States Who Are Not Obese Have Metabolic Syndrome: An Analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001-2012
Author Insight from Robert Wong, MD, Director, GI Education & Research Highland Hospital
What’s new here and important for clinicians?
The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is rising in the U.S., with nearly one third of all adults affected by this disease syndrome. Metabolic syndrome increases risk of cardiovascular disease and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, two disease states that account for a significant proportion of morbidity and mortality in the U.S. While obesity and weight gain increase the risk of developing metabolic syndrome, metabolic syndrome can and does occur in patients without obesity. Our current study demonstrated that nearly one in five patients who do not have obesity still have metabolic syndrome. This emphasizes the importance of recognizing the other risk factors for metabolic syndrome, including diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, to improve the early diagnosis of metabolic syndrome so that early interventions can be implemented to reduced long term health consequences.
What do patients need to know?
Metabolic syndrome is an important disease state that leads to major health consequences such as heart disease and liver disease. Conditions that increase one’s risk for metabolic syndrome include hypertension, diabetes, abnormal cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and obesity. While being overweight and obese can increase your risk of metabolic syndrome, it is also important to treat and optimize other risk factors including diabetes, hypertension, and abnormal cholesterol levels.
Metabolic Syndrome by Race/Ethnicity
Author Contact Robert Wong, MD
Rowong@alamedahealthsystem.org
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