Medical visualization of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions: high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar level, excess body fat around the waist, high triglyceride level, and low HDL-cholesterol level. These conditions occur together, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. While all of the risks for the syndrome are related to obesity, up to 40% of normal-weight people can also have metabolic syndrome. Internal fat (visceral fat) surrounding vital organs can be much more dangerous than subcutaneous fat, the kind that's just under the skin and causes visible bulging. |