The metabolic syndrome – is it relevant in Asia?

Abstract

The metabolic syndrome is a cluster of abnormalities including abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia, raised blood glucose, and raised blood pressure. As Asia modernizes and the home and the workplace become more automated, levels of physical activity are declining. Similarly, the diet has changed, with healthy traditional plant-based diets being replaced by calorie-dense foods. These changes result in rapid increases in the prevalence of obesity throughout Asia, and the subsequent development of the metabolic syndrome. To slow down the development of the obesity epidemic and subsequent vascular diseases, innovative preventative strategies based on lifestyle modification at the population level are needed.