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Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity-Associated Hypertension in the Racial Ethnic Minorities of the United States

  • Hypertension and Obesity (E Reisin, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a clinical condition that includes multiple cardiovascular disease risk factors, including obesity, high blood pressure or hypertension, dyslipidemia, and abnormal glucose metabolism. The core metabolic abnormality in MetS is insulin resistance, or impaired insulin-mediated glucose regulation that results in elevated plasma insulin concentration. MetS greatly increases the risk for diabetes, atherosclerosis, and adverse metabolic and cardiovascular outcomes. The syndrome is present in over 25 % of adults in the U.S., with higher rates among racial/ethnic minority groups. Although commonly associated with adult diseases and aging, MetS has also been described in children and adolescents, but at a much lower prevalence of approximately 4–5 %. Because obesity is a key component of the syndrome, the growing childhood epidemic has raised awareness of MetS in children. The rate of MetS among obese children and adolescents is approximately 30 %, with similar racial/ethnic disparity among minority groups as among adults.

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Conflict of Interest

Nicole D.F.H. Cossrow declares that he has no conflict of interest.

Bonita Falkner has received an NIH-NHLBI grant and paid travel expenses from the NIH for grant review meetings (grant application reviewer for NIH and American Association for Advancement of Science).

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Correspondence to Bonita Falkner or Nicole D. F. H. Cossrow.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Hypertension and Obesity

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Falkner, B., Cossrow, N.D.F.H. Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity-Associated Hypertension in the Racial Ethnic Minorities of the United States. Curr Hypertens Rep 16, 449 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11906-014-0449-5

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