The Concept of CMR

Obesity: the primary cause of the metabolic syndrome?

Page: 5 of 6

The metabolic syndrome is a cluster of metabolic complications—including atherogenic dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, raised blood pressure, and a prothrombotic and inflammatory state—that are more often found in patients with abdominal obesity (19). As a common metabolic disorder, the metabolic syndrome is directly linked to obesity, abdominal obesity in particular (19). Because of the syndrome’s ties to obesity, the number of individuals with the metabolic syndrome has risen in step with the worldwide obesity and diabetes epidemic (20). This rise in obesity has facilitated recognition of the syndrome and, consequently, the importance of abdominal obesity as a key contributor to the metabolic syndrome. The recent inclusion of waist circumference as a clinical criterion for diagnosing the metabolic syndrome (21) cements the key role played by abdominal obesity in the metabolic syndrome (22). Therefore, in addition to overweight and obesity—both established risk factors for the metabolic syndrome—patterns of body fat distribution (i.e., abdominal obesity) may increase risk for this diabetogenic and atherogenic condition (23).

Reference

close

19. Eckel RH, Grundy SM and Zimmet PZ. The metabolic syndrome. Lancet 2005; 365: 1415-28.

20. Zimmet P, Alberti KG and Shaw J. Global and societal implications of the diabetes epidemic. Nature 2001; 414: 782-7.

21. Executive Summary of The Third Report of The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, And Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol In Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III). JAMA 2001; 285: 2486-97.

22. Després JP and Lemieux I. Abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome. Nature 2006; 444: 881-7.

23. Després JP, Nadeau A, Tremblay A, et al. Role of deep abdominal fat in the association between regional adipose tissue distribution and glucose tolerance in obese women. Diabetes 1989; 38: 304-9.

Page: 5 of 6