Study: Metabolic Syndrome Increases Risk of Premature Death

Facts

• A study presented at the European Society of Cardiology’s annual meeting found that overweight individuals with even slightly raised blood pressure, cholesterol, or glucose levels are close to a third more likely to die early.¹
• Those individuals – who are considered to have metabolic syndrome – are also a third more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke over the next 30 years, according to the research.²
• Those with metabolic syndrome have three or more unhealthy traits – including obesity or too much fat around the waist, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or high glucose levels.¹
• The study saw 34,269 adults in their 40s and 50s screened for metabolic syndrome between 1990-1999, with 5,084 individuals identified as having the syndrome and 10,168 cleared to make up a control group.³
• A median follow up of 27 years saw 26% of participants with metabolic syndrome die compared to 19% from the control group.³
• The British Heart Foundation recommended that those at risk take simple steps to mitigate the risk of complications, such as eating well-balanced meals, exercising regularly, and not smoking. It further added that medication could be a possible course of action if lifestyle changes don’t have the desired impact.⁴

Sources: ¹The Guardian, ²The Sun, ³Escardio, and ⁴The Telegraph.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by SBS News. The first step toward solving this crisis is eliminating the stigma that obese people feel and encouraging them to seek help. Doctors must be more aggressive in making sure their patients don’t suffer in silence, and treatment can take several steps, including introducing medications to supplement lifestyle changes.
• Narrative B, as provided by The Guardian. While treatment is undoubtedly part of the equation, there must be a renewed focus on prevention. This includes identifying the many underlying causes of obesity and encouraging personalized diet plans based on each individual’s behavioral and biological specifications. The continued search for a silver-bullet cure will only see what is now a pandemic expand even further.