Metabolic syndrome is believed to affect up to 31 percent of people worldwide. Previous research has shown that people who have metabolic syndrome have a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and early death.
In this study, the association between asymptomatic metabolic syndrome in midlife and cardiovascular disease and death up to three decades later was examined.
The study included 34,269 adults aged 40 and 50 who participated in a cardiovascular screening program in the Swedish county of Västmanland from 1990 to 1999.
Participants went to their primary health care center for a clinical examination by a nurse, which included measurement of height, weight, blood pressure, total cholesterol, blood glucose, and waist and hip circumference.
They also completed a questionnaire about lifestyle habits, past history of heart disease and diabetes, and socioeconomic factors such as education.