Metabolic syndrome & obesity: co-epidemics could overwhelm home health care

Our nation's battle with the bulge has contributed to the current co-epidemics of obesity and metabolic syndrome. The US Surgeon General's office reports that these disease risks may soon cause as much disease and death as cigarette smoking (HHS, 2001). In the United States, one in four adults has metabolic syndrome, which includes about 15 million persons with type 2 diabetes (Ford, 2002). About 50 percent of the estimated 47 million individuals with metabolic syndrome also have insulin resistance, which is a major factor in type 2 diabetes (Ford, 2002; Blackburn, 2001). Overweight and obese adults have a 50 to 100 percent increased risk for premature death compared to those of normal weight (HHS, 2001). The co-epidemics of obesity and metabolic syndrome are costly, as well, having an estimated price tag in 2000 of over $117 billion (HHS, 2001). This article will define the co-epidemics of obesity and metabolic syndrome and describe recommended prevention and management procedures to be adopted in home care.