metabolic syndrome

by Diane Lofshult

Food for Thought:

Metabolic syndrome is a constellation of different risk factors—such as hypertension, elevated LDL cholesterol levels and obesity—that increase an individual’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Until recently, little was known about the effects of metabolic syndrome on children or the risk factors that contribute to the condition in this population. As a result, medical experts haven’t really known what to look out for in children or how to intervene to protect kids at risk. Now they do.

A report in the January issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition details the findings of a study that examined the incidence of metabolic syndrome in 10- to 15-year-olds. In the process of conducting this population-based cohort study, the researchers were able to pinpoint some factors that might help identify children at risk. These factors included lack of cardiovascular fitness; lack of physical activity; and high maternal body mass index. Identifying these risk factors may be the first step toward creating effective interventions for children in the future, according to the report.

The researchers also found that upping a child’s exercise levels even slightly can do a lot to prevent the syndrome from developing. “[Increasing] daily moderate-intensity physical activity by 10%–20% was associated with a lower risk of being categorized with [metabolic syndrome],” the researchers concluded.