Invited Commentary: Metabolic Syndrome: The Urgent Need for an Imaging-based Definition

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a numerical value derived from a person's weight and height, used to categorize individuals into weight ranges. It is calculated using the formula: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Obesity is a health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue that poses health risks, often diagnosed with a BMI ≥ 30. This excess fat storage occurs when surplus dietary calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in...

Lipid metabolism is a crucial process in the human body that involves the synthesis and degradation of lipids. This process is essential for energy production, cell membrane formation, and hormone production, among other functions.
Lipolysis: The Breakdown of Lipids:
Lipolysis is the process of breaking down lipids, particularly triglycerides, into glycerol and fatty acids. This process typically occurs in the adipose tissue and is triggered by various hormones, including glucagon and...

Carbohydrate metabolism is a fundamental biochemical process that ensures a constant supply of energy to living cells. The most important carbohydrate is glucose, which can be broken down via glycolysis to enter into the Krebs cycle and eventually lead to the production of ATP through oxidative phosphorylation.
Glucose transport into cells is facilitated by a family of transport proteins called GLUT (Glucose Transporters). GLUT4 is the primary glucose transporter for insulin-stimulated glucose...

For most patients, experiencing several weeks of polyuria, polydipsia, fatigue, and significant weight loss may indicate the presence of diabetes. Furthermore, adults displaying the phenotypic appearance of type 2 diabetes (particularly those who are obese and not initially insulin-requiring), may have islet cell autoantibodies, suggesting autoimmune-mediated β cell destruction and a diagnosis of latent autoimmune diabetes of adults (LADA). The categorization of glucose homeostasis is...