Metabolic syndrome is defined by the presence of certain chronic disease risk factors. This includes:
- high blood pressure
- high triglycerides (fat in the blood)
- low HDL ("good") cholesterol
- insulin resistance or high blood sugar
- central obesity (carrying excess weight around the belly and upper body).
Up to one-quarter of adults in the US have metabolic syndrome, so this condition is quite common.
The connection between metabolic syndrome and risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke is well-know. New research now points to another potential pitfall of metabolic syndrome. It turns out metabolic syndrome also may increase the risk of certain types of cancer, including colon cancer.
More Metabolic Syndrome, More Colon Cancer Risk
For the study, researchers collected information on body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, blood sugar levels, cholesterol, and triglycerides from 578,700 men and women. The group was followed for an average of 12 years, and the study authors looked at the connection between metabolic syndrome and risk of developing colon cancer.
The worse a person's metabolic syndrome was, the more likely that person was to develop colon cancer during the 12 years of follow-up for the study. Men with the worst metabolic syndrome had 20% higher risk of colon cancer compared with men who did not have metabolic syndrome. For women, the increased colon cancer risk with metabolic syndrome was 14%.
In addition to the overall severity of metabolic syndrome, certain factors that define the condition also increased colon cancer risk. For men, high body mass index (BMI), high blood pressure, and high triglycerides each significantly increased colon cancer risk. For women, a high BMI was most strongly linked with a higher risk of colon cancer.
Address Metabolic Syndrome
There is some good news in all of this. Metabolic syndrome can be improved by moving toward a healthier lifestyle. One of the most important ways to lessen the impact of metabolic syndrome on health is to lose weight.
Simply losing 10% of your body weight, or about 20 pounds for a 200 pound person, will improve blood glucose levels, blood pressure, and blood lipids (fats in the blood, such as triglycerides). Even if you don't reach your so-called "ideal body weight," losing a little weight improves health.
What if I Can't Lose Weight?
Many people have tried, over and over, to lose weight only to gain it back or never lose much in the first place. There is no doubt that maintaining a healthy weight is extremely difficult. We live in a food culture that encourages mindless eating and over-consumption at every turn. So what if you try and just can't keep the pounds off?
You're better off settling at a reasonable weight you can maintain, than aiming to lose a lot of weight that you end up gaining back. Yo-yo dieting is hard on the health, and it's not a good idea. And there's one more thing you can do. Move more.
Even if you never lose a pound, exercise alone will improve metabolic syndrome. When we exercise, we prompt our bodies to use insulin more effectively, pump blood more efficiently, and metabolize food more healthfully. These changes in the body lead to lower blood sugar levels, lower blood pressure, and lower levels of fats in the blood.
For the Health of It
Make health, not looks, your priority. That way, you'll be more likely stick with your exercise plan. Even if a single pound isn't lost, your health will improve. That alone makes taking a brisk walk most days of the week - which is all it takes to improve health - worth your effort.
