[The metabolic syndrome: epidemiology and diagnosis]

There has been a tremendous increase in overweight and obesity in industrialized countries. Because of its comorbidities obesity is defined as a disease. The abdominal fat distribution is associated with insulin resistance and with a number of cardiovascular risk factors; all of them are included in the metabolic syndrome. The metabolic syndrome can easily be defined by clinical symptoms and laboratory results, which are defined in the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel III (AP III). Abdominal obesity is characterised by a waist circumference of over 102 cm for men and over 88 cm for women, plasma triglycerides >150 mg/dL, a low HDL cholesterol level (<40 mg/dL for men, <50 mg/dL for women), a blood pressure of over 130/85 mm Hg and an abnormal fasting glucose value >110 mg/dL.