Veronica Thomasson works out at the Roxbury YMCA five days a week in an effort to reverse her risk factors for metabolic syndrome. Thomasson, a diabetic who takes medication to manage the illness, is determined to control her disease through exercise and healthy eating.

As warning flags go, this one is hardly a household term.

But metabolic syndrome (MetS) has emerged as a signal of potentially life-threatening illnesses prevalent among African Americans. MetS is a clustering of risk factors discussed for over 80 years, but the term was popularized by Stanford University endocrinologist Gerald Reaven in 1988.

While experts disagree on the exact definition of MetS, the most widely accepted criteria were developed by the National Cholesterol Education Program — high blood pressure, excess weight around the waist; low levels of HDL, or good cholesterol; high levels of triglycerides, or fat in the blood; and the inability to utilize insulin effectively.

Two other conditions are often included — inflammation and an increased tendency to develop a clot within blood vessels, both indicators of heart disease. Full story

A complicated problem needs a disciplined attack

Melissa Joyce is at least honest.

She had never heard of metabolic syndrome. She did not know that it could have contributed to her diagnosis of type 2 diabetes in 2002.

Now she knows that the cumulative effect of her weight, blood pressure and cholesterol are signs of an increased risk of having life-threatening diseases.

She also knows that losing weight and eating healthier are among the best solutions.

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