Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors, not a single disease, and together they raise the risk of diabetes and heart disease more than any one of them alone.
Medically reviewed by the RIIMS medical team · Last updated: June 2026
Go to hospital now
- Chest pain, breathlessness or one-sided weakness (possible heart attack or stroke)
- A blood pressure reading of 180/120 or higher with symptoms such as headache or chest pain
See a doctor soon (not an emergency)
- A new component (sugar, BP, triglycerides or HDL) crossing into the abnormal range on a repeat test
- Waist circumference increasing on successive checks despite effort
What is metabolic syndrome?
Metabolic syndrome is not one disease but a cluster of risk factors that, together, raise the risk of diabetes and heart disease more than any one of them alone. The International Diabetes Federation's definition, the one most used in India, makes waist circumference the mandatory starting point: 90 cm or more in men, or 80 cm or more in women. On top of that, a diagnosis needs at least two of four further findings: triglycerides of 150 mg/dL or more, HDL cholesterol below 40 mg/dL in men or below 50 mg/dL in women, blood pressure of 130/85 or higher, and fasting blood sugar of 100 mg/dL or more. A person can meet this definition without ever having been told they have diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol individually, because the syndrome captures the combination itself, and the combination carries more risk than the sum of its parts. This is why a single waist measurement and a basic blood panel, not a single symptom, is what actually identifies it.
Symptoms to watch for
- A large waist (90 cm or more in men, 80 cm or more in women)
- Often no symptoms at all otherwise
- Blood pressure at or above 130/85
- Raised triglycerides or low HDL on a lipid profile
- Fasting blood sugar at or above 100 mg/dL
- Skin tags or darkened skin at the neck, in some people
When to consult a doctor
If you have a large waist and any one of high blood pressure, high triglycerides, low HDL or raised fasting sugar, ask for the full panel. The other components are often missed if only one is tested.