The words “metabolic syndrome” and “hidden obesity” have recently become more common, to the point where even some readers may be contemplating if their waist circumference is appropriate. This leaves us to wonder how and when those words became so commonplace.

In developed nations, including Japan, overnutrition and insufficient physical activity have led to an increase of diseases related to arteriosclerosis. Ironically, these conditions of overabundance exist at the same time when many people die of malnutrition and infectious diseases.

The WHO (World Health Organization) made a statement encouraging developed nations, including those in Asia, to take preventive measures against heart and vascular diseases in 2002. Despite their recommendation, these diseases continue to escalate, due to overnutrition and insufficient physical activities.

Various studies have been conducted on this issue, revealing that people with a specific type of obesity were more prone to develop heart or vascular diseases.

A dangerous type of obesity

In some countries, including Japan, obesity is generally defined as a BMI (weight: kg / height: ㎡) equal to or greater than 25. Within the obese category, a person with a visceral fat area surpassing 100㎠ is diagnosed as visceral obesity. Accumulated visceral fat can cause metabolic disorders from elevated levels of sugar or lipids in the blood, that potentially progress to arteriosclerosis. The precise visceral fat area can be measured by CT scan, but that isn’t a convenient measuring tool. Instead, more accessible criteria were established, defining a waist circumference over 85cm in men or over 90cm in women as being approximately equivalent to the visceral area of 100㎠ or more. Furthermore, high risk health conditions which are likely to cause heart or vascular diseases can also lead to metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is defined by the presence of two or more of the following conditions: hypertriglyceridemia (low HDL cholesterol), high blood sugar, or high blood pressure, in addition to visceral obesity.

Do you have metabolic syndrome?

This era is called the period of plenty because such an abundance of delicious foods are available at an affordable cost. Additionally, the popularity of automobiles, improvements in public transportation, and the increase in sedentary jobs have limited people’s opportunity for physical activity. As a result, our current lifestyle is focused on overeating and lack of exercise.
We will need to improve our lifestyle in order to prevent heart and vascular diseases. We must measure our waist circumference and check the blood test results included in the health report. If you find yourself facing potential metabolic syndrome, you will need to try increase the frequency of exercise and improve eating habits.