PREVENTION OF METABOLIC SYNDROME

At each stage of life, strategies can be implemented to reduce the chance of developing metabolic syndrome, even for those individuals who have inherited a predisposition to it.

Prenatal

Malnutrition of mother and child during pregnancy leads to low birth weight of the infant. Such a child may have a higher than normal risk of developing hypertension, abnormal glucose tolerance, and cardiovascular disease as an adult. A pregnant mother who gets good prenatal care and who eats a healthy diet will reduce her baby’s chances of developing metabolic syndrome later in life.

Children and Adolescents

In the United States, approximately 19% (or 13.7 million) of children and adolescents aged 2–19 years are obese (CDC, 2019). Obesity in children increases the chance that they will have metabolic problems, high blood pressure, kidney problems, and cardiovascular disease as adults. It is therefore important that children be given guidance and encouragement to eat a healthy diet.

In addition, having a low level of physical exercise increases the chances that a child will develop metabolic syndrome as an adult even for children who are not overweight. Thus, children should be encouraged to be active, and sedentary pastimes, such as television-watching and video/computer games, should be limited.

Adults

SCREENING

General education programs can reduce the incidence of metabolic syndrome by making everyone aware of the benefits of staying at a healthy weight and exercising. People who already have metabolic syndrome can prevent many of the serious health problems by losing weight, eating a healthy diet, and exercising more. The first steps are to identify patients and then to advise them on the lifestyle changes that may benefit the condition. Carefully monitoring their condition over time is also important.

Healthcare providers should be aware of those who might have or be at risk for metabolic syndrome. Screening measures may include measuring waist size, blood pressure, and blood lipid and blood glucose levels.

EDUCATION

Without treatment, metabolic syndrome poses worsening risks with age. On the other hand, young adults with metabolic syndrome who lose weight and then maintain a stable weight can avoid the higher incidence of serious health problems that may come with advancing age.

Maintaining a healthy body weight is a key for preventing metabolic syndrome. Overweight people should be advised to maintain a healthy weight. People usually have the most success losing weight when they are part of a formal program that provides monitoring and counseling for continued support.

A second key preventive step is increasing physical activity. Although regular exercise can help a person lose weight, the most important benefits of physical activity are metabolic. Moderate exercise for >30 minutes four times a week can actually change the balance of biochemical processes in a person’s body, reducing insulin resistance, lowering triglycerides, and lowering blood pressure. (See also “Exercise” above.)