Metabolic syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions — abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, and abnormal blood sugar or cholesterol — that together raise cardiovascular and diabetes risk more than any one factor alone.
Symptoms
- No symptoms by itself — it's identified by the combination of measurements and lab results, not a feeling
Causes & risk factors
- Insulin resistance
- Excess weight, particularly abdominal obesity
- Physical inactivity
- A family history of diabetes or heart disease
How it’s diagnosed
Diagnosis is based on meeting a defined number of criteria among: waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting glucose, triglycerides, and HDL cholesterol.
How it’s treated
Management addresses each component together — weight, blood pressure, glucose, and lipids — since treating them individually in isolation misses the underlying, connected risk.
When to seek care
- You have several of the individual risk factors (excess abdominal weight, high blood pressure, abnormal blood sugar or cholesterol) and haven't had a combined assessment
FAQ
Is metabolic syndrome the same as diabetes?
No — metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors that raises the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, but it isn't diabetes itself.
Sources
- American Diabetes Association, Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026
Medical disclaimer: Content on this page is for general education and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Outcomes vary between patients. Boston Diabetes Center is outpatient / day-care specialty centre with an on-site diagnostic lab and pharmacy — no inpatient beds; imaging and inpatient care are coordinated through partner facilities.