Publisher's Synopsis
Obesity is not a fatal disease, but a term that describes how much a person weighs. Obesity is often, but not always, a symptom of a group of disorders that is collectively known as metabolic syndrome. Guidelines published by the National Institutes of Health list five measurable symptoms of metabolic syndrome: large waist circumference, a high level of triglycerides, a low level of "good" cholesterol, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar. Any three of the five traits are enough to confirm a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome, with risk increasing by age. It is metabolic syndrome, rather than obesity itself, that truly poses a danger to human health, frequently causing health issues including diabetes, heart disease, and vascular problems.
