Many people refer to metabolic syndrome as metabolic disease. The former is actually the correct way to refer to the condition, but either one could be used. But is diabetes a metabolic disease? Technically it is not when asked in that way. The question could be better asked as “is diabetes a metabolic disease risk factor?” And to that we can say yes.

Metabolic disease, or metabolic syndrome actually refers to a group of risk factors that, when combined, will increase the chance of developing diabetes. It also will increase the odds of developing heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases. With the prevalence of metabolic disease increasing with age, about one out of every 5 Americans is affected by it. The word “metabolic” is a medical term that describes the biochemical processes involved in the normal way the body turns food into energy. There are a couple of …