METABOLIC SYNDROME

Metabolic syndrome is once more one of those diseases that did not even exist a short time ago. This name came to the medical dictionary only in the second half of the 1900s. About the late sixties. I was also named syndrome X at one point showing how far we were from a real understanding of the complexity of the ailment. Later, calling it insulin resistance syndrome gave a least a clue about the problem.

This is a growing pathology where cardinal symptoms are abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and abnormal composition of lipids or fats in the blood. Some variation exists in different definitions, but these, in general, are the symptoms that characterize the disease.

It is a fact that it started in the Western world, but the spread of the Western lifestyle across the globe has turned metabolic syndrome into a global problem. Prevalence of the syndrome is, of course, in the urban areas of developing countries.

The basic forces fuel the spread of this malady: high calorie-low fiber-ultra refined diet and sedentary lifestyle.

The syndrome feeds into the spread of a vast group of chronic degenerative conditions that, just as it happens to metabolic syndrome, were rarely seen, or their occurrence was nothing close to the staggering numbers we see today. Type 2 diabetes, coronary, vascular diseases, stroke, high blood pressure, and even chronic inflammatory-related conditions like Alzheimer, osteoporosis, or even cancer.

The total cost, including health care and loss of economic activity, is in trillions. The only way out is a shift of lifestyle to a healthier path.

I have observed with dismay how the burden of metabolic syndrome and all the agonizing related diseases grow in frequency, but more importantly, shows in younger individuals. I have to question whether are we truly taking care of ourselves. or are we true to the promise of raising our children healthy to help them be all they can be?