Metabolic syndrome, formerly known as Syndrome X, is a term used to describe a set of metabolic risk factors leading to cardiovascular disease. Signs of Syndrome X often include obesity, cholesterol, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is the diminished ability of the cells to react properly to insulin which causes a deficiency in the way blood glucose is used for energy.

Signs of Syndrome X needed for a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome are as follows:

• An abdominal obesity with a waist circumference of over 40 in (102 cm) in men and 35 in (88 cm) in women.
• Serum triglycerides levels of 150 mg/dl or above.
• HDL cholesterol levels of 40 mg/dl or lower in men and 50 mg/dl or lower in women.
• Blood pressure of 130/85 or more.
• Fasting blood glucose levels of 110 mg/dl or above.

The above criteria are based on the guidelines form …