[4] Different definitions of the cardiometabolic syndrome have been proposed by different public health organizations, but recently the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the American Heart Association (AHA), and others proposed a definition for diagnosing the cardiometabolic syndrome that includes the presence of three out of the following five risk factors:[1][2] Approximately 40–46 percent of the world's adult population has the cluster of risk factors that is metabolic syndrome.
Lack of physical activity, increased consumption of processed food and unmanaged portion sizes all contribute to the rise of diabetes – a major component of cardiometabolic risk.
Reports from Lagos, Nigeria, for instance, showed the prevalence rate of metabolic syndrome as high as over 80% among diabetic patients.
[15] In Central Europe 44% of the participants had type 2 diabetes compared with 33% in the Atlantic European Mainland, and 26% in the Northwest and the Mediterranean regions.
[15] Fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were all highest in Central Europe compared with the other three regions.
[15] Roughly 80% of the Atlantic European Mainland patients had uncontrolled blood pressure, whereas the other three regions tallied approximately 70-71%.
[15] The GOOD survey recorded cases of congestive heart failure, left ventricular hypertrophy, coronary artery disease and stable/unstable angina were highest in Central Europe compared with the other regions.
[17] 37.4% of Iranians aging from 25 to 64, living in both urban and rural areas of all 30 provinces in Iran, had MS (based on the IDF definition); results based on the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATPIII)/American Heart Association (AHA)/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) standards suggest 41.6% of the same group of Iranians has metabolic syndrome.
[18] In 2012, 11% of (or approximately 4.2 million) adults in the NAC Region endured the disease; this year, diabetes was responsible for 287,020 deaths in North America.
[18] The National Center for Biotechnological Information notes the incidence of the metabolic syndrome among Caribbean-born persons in the U. S. Virgin Islands is comparable to that among the population on the mainland of the United States.
[19] Among Caribbean-born persons living in the U.S. Virgin Islands, those who are Hispanic blacks may have a greater risk of cardiovascular disease than do other groups.
[23] In addition, studies have shown that these individuals are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease, including a heart attack or stroke.
[24][25][26] Individuals with prediabetes are also likely to have additional cardiovascular risk factors such as elevated cholesterol and high blood pressure.
[33] However, according to the American Heart Association, nearly half of U.S. adults today (44%) are still at increased risk for atherosclerotic disease because their levels of total cholesterol are elevated (200 mg/dL or higher).
[31] In addition, approximately 19% of U.S. adults have low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol,[10] and one-third have elevated triglycerides.
[34] Finally, dyslipidemia affects the vast majority (up to 97%) of individuals with diabetes and contributes to their elevated risk for cardiovascular disease.
[35] According to estimates from the American Heart Association, more than 9% of U.S. children and adolescents aged 12–19, or nearly three million individuals, have the metabolic syndrome.
[31] Preliminary prospective studies report that children and adolescents with the metabolic syndrome are at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes as adults.
The significant independent predictors of CVD in Native American women were diabetes, age, obesity, LDL, albuminuria, triglycerides, and hypertension.
[39] Although total and LDL-cholesterol levels are lower than the U.S. average, importance of LDL cholesterol as a contributor to CHD in this group should not be underestimated.
[40] The Latin American populations exhibit a high prevalence of abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome, similar or even higher than developed countries.
It is attributed to changes in their lifestyle, migration from rural to urban areas and a higher susceptibility to accumulate abdominal fat and develop more insulin resistance compared to other ethnically different populations.
[41] Although cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death and disability in the majority of the countries in Latin America, few data about regional differences on this topic has emerged.
[42] Developing countries have scarce epidemiological data on cardiovascular (CV) risk factor prevalence, which only allows for limited control and treatment options.
[43] There has been special interest in South Asians because they have been reported to have very high frequency rates of coronary heart disease at younger ages in the absence of traditional risk factors.
[39] However, the evidence for differences between Pacific Islander and general U.S. populations is not strong enough to justify the creating of separate guidelines.