Boosted blood pressure, generous waist circumference, high blood sugar … Watch out for metabolic syndrome! “This syndrome is not a disease in itself, but a set of signs which, when combined, are the witness of an excess of toxic fats for the body.“explains Dr Boris Hansel, endocrinologist and nutritionist at the Bichat-Claude-Bernard hospital (Paris). The metabolic syndrome is currently a major public health problem, according to the International Diabetes Federation (FID) which participated in 2009 in the establishment of a consensus to define it.
Five criteria for recognizing a metabolic syndrome
The toxic fats that cause metabolic syndrome are visceral fats, commonly called abdominal fat. Five criteria determine whether or not a person suffers from metabolic syndrome:
- the waist size, if it is greater than 94 cm for men and 80 cm for women in Europe
- blood sugar level (or blood sugar) on an empty stomach, if it is greater than 1 gram per liter (g / l)
- the level of fat in the blood, especially that of triglycerides, if it exceeds 1.5 g / l
- the rate of “good” cholesterol(or HDL-cholesterol), if it is less than 0.4 g / l in men and 0.5 g / l in women
- the blood pressure if it is greater than 130/85 mmHg.
The doctor will talk about metabolic syndrome if a person has three or more of these abnormalities.
Sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy diet and genetics questioned
Metabolic syndrome affects both women and men. In France, it concerns around 15% of the adult population. First factor: genetics. “But impossible to act on it or to know in advance whether or not we will have a metabolic syndrome“, specifies Dr. Hansel. At the same time, controllable environmental factors come into play in the occurrence of this syndrome: sedentary lifestyle, a food too rich in quantity, the tobacco and the lack of sleep, all of which contribute to the accumulation of abdominal fat. Finally, the risk of developing metabolic syndrome increases with age because “the older you get, the more abdominal fat accumulates“, warns Dr Hansel.
Warning signs of cardiovascular disease and diabetes
The criteria for metabolic syndrome should be interpreted as warning signs. Thus, the two most common complications of metabolic syndrome are Type 2 diabetes and the cardiovascular illnesses (Strokethrombosis infarction…). People with this syndrome are also at greater risk of developing metabolic liver disease (or metabolic liver disease), which is a build-up of fat inside the liver, which can progress to cirrhosis. Metabolic syndrome also increases the risk of polycystic ovary syndrome, which can decrease fertility and even cause sterility in women of childbearing age. Among the other possible complications, Dr. Hansel also cites theSleep Apnea and the drop. Finally, several studies have highlighted a link between the metabolic syndrome and dementia or cancers (such as leukemia, myeloma, colorectal cancer, cancer of the liver, stomach, esophagus, pancreas, breast, ovary or uterus). But for the moment, the cause and effect relationship between the syndrome and these pathologies has not been demonstrated.
Reviewing your lifestyle is the only treatment that exists
As the metabolic syndrome is not a disease in itself, there is no drug treatment. The solution ? Review your lifestyle. “It is necessary to correct several hygieno-dietetic criteria to regress the metabolic syndrome“, reveals Boris Hansel. Five factors can thus limit the risks of complications of the metabolic syndrome:
- Fight against a sedentary lifestyle while walking 10,000 steps per day.
- In addition to the 10,000 daily steps, practice a physical or sports activity in accordance with the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO). This activity must call for endurance, last at least 10 minutes without interruption and, over the week, reach a cumulative total of 150 minutes (2h30) at least, 300 minutes (5h) ideally. “Taking your dog out, going up the stairs a few times a day and getting off a metro station earlier are not enough practices to fight against a sedentary lifestyle. It is also necessary to indulge in a real physical or sports activity on a sustained and regular basis.“, insists Dr. Hansel.
- Food level, it is necessary to reduce the total amounts to reduce the amounts of fat absorbed. Note: “on everyone eats 20 to 30% too much!“notes the endocrinologist. A little simple trick to reduce the quantities: use smaller plates… It’s simple but it works!
- No smoking. Even if stopping smoking can make you gain two or three pounds, in the long term, tobacco promotes the rise of fat in the belly. “For the same weight, a smoker therefore has more fat in the belly than a non-smoker.“explains Dr Hansel.
- Respect the sleep pattern that our body wishes to have, by establishing a regular rhythm, with identical bedtime and rising times every day, weekdays and weekends.
Good to know, to avoid costs or unnecessary efforts: the liposuctionand abs are no remedy for metabolic syndrome.
Sources:
- Interview with Boris Hansel, endocrinologist and nutritionist at Bichat hospital
- Bichat-Claude-Bernard hospital website on the management of metabolic syndrome: nutrition-bichat.aphp.fr
- New global definition of metabolic syndrome: reasoning and results – Paul Zimmet, George Alberti, Jonathan Shaw. 2005 Diabetes’Voice, International Diabetes Federation (IDF).
- Metabolic syndrome – Dr Ariane SULTAN (CHU Montpellier) and Dr Véronique TAILLARD (CHU de Nîmes) – Course of the Faculty of Medicine, March 2013
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