Apart from impacting daily life, the metabolic syndrome also levies a high cost on the individual, those with the condition spend at least 20 per cent more due to the higher amount of medication required and frequent hospitalisations.

The country’s proportion of infectious diseases – illnesses that spread through contact – is estimated to be lower than non-communicable diseases. About one-tenth of the country’s population is suffering from diabetes, 35 per cent suffer from hypertension, and about 28 per cent have high cholesterol levels. The World Health Organization (WHO) posits that lifestyle diseases will cost India over USD 6 trillion by 2030, not to mention the deterioration in quality of life after having an NCD. What is even more concerning is the fact that while the onset of NCDs in developed countries is typically 55 years+, in India, the onset happens almost a decade earlier – at age 45 years+.

The Deadly Quartet Of Syndrome X

In such a scenario, where a considerable proportion of the population already has the propensity to develop a lifestyle-induced NCD, it is essential to discuss the new metabolic abnormality cluster on the block – metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome or Syndrome X refers to the co-occurrence of several metabolic abnormalities that are also known as cardiovascular risk factors and leading causes of Type 2 diabetes. Development of diabetes mellitus five-fold and that of cardiovascular disease two-fold over the next 5-10 years.

• These are the four primary abnormalities – insulin resistance, visceral obesity, atherogenic dyslipidemia and hypertension. Even the presence of any one of these abnormalities warrants testing and diagnosis for metabolic syndrome, given the progressive nature of the condition and the impact it has on one’s quality of life. The syndrome has become a global problem due to rapid urbanisation, sedentary lifestyle and surplus energy intake.
• It has been observed that over the last decade, the occurrence of metabolic syndrome is at 34.5 per cent overall – 33.5 per cent among men and 35.4 per cent among women. The steeper increase in the proportion of women developing metabolic syndrome is due to the tendency of central obesity in postmenopausal women, putting them at higher risk for cardiovascular diseases.
• Apart from impacting daily life, the metabolic syndrome also levies a high cost on the individual, with research indicating that those with the condition spend at least 20 per cent more due to the higher amount of medication required and frequent hospitalisations.

Quelling The Hidden Volcano

It is imperative that this ‘hidden volcano’ needs to be stopped in its tracks before it can do further damage. This will require healthcare professionals to be vigilant about the developing signs of metabolic syndrome before they manifest.

(This article has been verified by Dr Anurag Bansal, Technical Director, Agilus Diagnostics Ltd.)