PREVENTING METABOLIC SYNDROME

At each stage of life, strategies can be implemented to reduce the chance of developing metabolic syndrome. Many metabolic disorders cannot be prevented, as their causes are either genetic or unknown. Metabolic syndrome, however, can be prevented by applying the same measures recommended for management of the syndrome after it has developed.

Prevention measures for adults include:

• Eating heart-healthy foods
• Aiming for and maintaining a healthy weight
• Reducing sedentary time and getting regular physical activity
• Managing stress
• Quitting smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke
• Limiting alcohol intake
• Getting enough good-quality sleep
  (NHLBI, 2022b)

In order to prevent metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends:

• Improving what children and adolescents eat and drink to help prevent obesity and the development of insulin resistance
• Encouraging physical activity, which can improve blood pressure, cholesterol, and sensitivity to the effects of insulin
• Monitoring screen time, since the number of hours a child spends daily in front of a screen is directly related to body mass index and calories consumed per day
• Getting adequate sleep, since short sleep duration inversely predicts cardiometabolic risk in teens
• Avoiding tobacco smoke exposure, which greatly increases a child’s risk for developing heart disease
  (Magge, 2021)