Cited by 14,860Diabetes, Cardiovascular Risks, and LipoproteinsAdipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic DiseasesCardiovascular Function and Risk Factors

Harmonizing the Metabolic Syndrome: A Joint Interim Statement of the International Diabetes Federation Task Force on Epidemiology and Prevention; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; American Heart Association; World Heart Federation; International Atherosclerosis Society; and International Association for the Study of Obesity

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Alberti, K.G.M.M., Eckel, Robert H., Grundy, Scott M., Zimmet, Paul Z., Cleeman, James I., Donato, Karen A., Fruchart, Jean-Charles, James, W. Philip T. +2 more·2009·Circulation

Abstract

A cluster of risk factors for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus, which occur together more often than by chance alone, have become known as the metabolic syndrome. The risk factors include raised blood pressure, dyslipidemia (raised triglycerides and lowered high-density lipoprotein cholesterol), raised fasting glucose, and central obesity. Various diagnostic criteria have been proposed by different organizations over the past decade. Most recently, these have come from the International Diabetes Federation and the American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The main difference concerns the measure for central obesity, with this being an obligatory component in the International Diabetes Federation definition, lower than in the American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute criteria, and ethnic specific. The present article represents the outcome of a meeting between several major organizations in an attempt to unify criteria. It was agreed that there should not be an obligatory component, but that waist measurement would continue to be a useful preliminary screening tool. Three abnormal findings out of 5 would qualify a person for the metabolic syndrome. A single set of cut points would be used for all components except waist circumference, for which further work is required. In the interim, national or regional cut points for waist circumference can be used.

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Crossref · 10.1161/circulationaha.109.192644

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  • Weight gain together with cardiometabolic disease exacerbates insulin resistance and leads to greater storage of fat in the intra-abdominal depot, ectopic accumulation of fat in liver and muscle cells, and heightened dysregulation of adipocytokines and systemic inflammation.

    “Although lean individuals can have insulin resistance and CMD, weight gain together with CMD exacerbates insulin resistance and leads to greater storage of fat in the intra-abdominal depot, ectopic accumulation of fat in liver and muscle cells, and heightened dysregulation of adipocytokines and systemic inflammation.670–673”

    From American Association of Clinical Endocrinology Clinical Practice Guideline: Developing a Diabetes Mellitus Comprehensive Care Plan-2022 Update. (2022) · cites this paper as [672]

    The paper’s discussion of metabolic risk factors (indexed under Abstract; page unavailable) says abdominal obesity and insulin resistance commonly coexist in metabolic syndrome, which is also associated with a proinflammatory state. It does not say that weight gain together with cardiometabolic disease causes the proposed progression to intra-abdominal and ectopic fat storage or adipocytokine dysregulation; it says the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • The health effects of excess adiposity are manifest by the development of adverse weight-related complications that are the cause of morbidity and mortality.

    “The health effects of excess adiposity are manifest by the development of adverse weight-related complications that are the cause of morbidity and mortality.672,673”

    From American Association of Clinical Endocrinology Clinical Practice Guideline: Developing a Diabetes Mellitus Comprehensive Care Plan-2022 Update. (2022) · cites this paper as [672]

    The Abstract (page not provided) describes metabolic syndrome as a medical complication of obesity and reports increased risks of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. It supports the claim that obesity-related complications contribute to morbidity, but does not address mortality or establish that weight-related complications generally cause it. (LLM, conf=0.83)

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  • BMI is currently used as a general screening tool to diagnose overweight (BMI 25-29.9 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2), but these cutoffs do not capture risk of adiposity among varied ethnic groups and do not identify individual cardiometabolic disease risk.

    “BMI is currently used as a general screening tool to diagnose overweight (BMI 25 to 29.9 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2), but these BMI cutoffs do not capture risk of adiposity among varied ethnic groups, nor do they identify individual CMD risk.”

    From American Association of Clinical Endocrinology Clinical Practice Guideline: Developing a Diabetes Mellitus Comprehensive Care Plan-2022 Update. (2022) · cites this paper as [672]

    Split into 2 atoms — 0 confirmed, 2 partially supported, 0 disputed, 0 misattributed, 0 unverifiable. Expand the claim to see per-atom verdicts.

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  • Visceral fat distribution, i.e. abdominal obesity, mediates the majority of the cardiometabolic risk.

    “Visceral fat distribution, i.e. abdominal obesity, mediates the majority of the cardiometabolic risk. 42”

    From EASL-EASD-EASO Clinical Practice Guidelines on the management of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). (2024) · cites this paper as [42]

    The passage labeled Abstract says abdominal obesity appears to contribute to metabolic risk factors, but it also names insulin resistance as a contributor and says the mechanisms are not fully understood. It does not establish that visceral fat distribution mediates the majority of cardiometabolic risk. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • The current cut-offs of >94 cm in men and >80 cm in women for Caucasians (and adjusted for other ethnicities) are associated with an increased cardiometabolic risk and increased risk for MASLD.

    “The current cut-offs of > -94 cm in men and > -80 cm in women for Caucasians (and adjusted for other ethnicities) are associated with an increased cardiometabolic risk 40,42 and increased risk for MASLD.”

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [5]5. National Institutes of Health. Clinical guidelines on the identification, evaluation, and treatment of overweight and obesity in adults: the evidence report [published correction appears in Obes Res. 1998;6:464]. Obes Res. 1998;6(suppl 2):51S-209S.

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Authors
Alberti, K. G. M. M., Eckel, R. H., Grundy, S. M., Zimmet, P. Z., Cleeman, J. I., Donato, K. A., Fruchart, J.-C., James, W. P. T., Loria, C. M., & Smith, S. C.
Affiliations
  • American Heart Association (US)
  • Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute (AU)
  • Wolters Kluwer Health (US)
Venue
Circulation
Published
2009-10-20
Volume
120
Issue
16
Pages
1640-1645
ISSN
  • 0009-7322 (ISSN-L)
  • 1524-4539
OpenAlex
W2143104968
Cited by
14,860
References
19
Citations by year
2026: 815 · 2025: 908 · 2024: 1080 · 2023: 1002 · 2022: 1120 · 2021: 1238 · 2020: 1080 · 2019: 969 · 2018: 950 · 2017: 901 · 2016: 875 · 2015: 857 · 2014: 836 · 2013: 775 · 2012: 658
FWCI
346.23
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Circulation (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
American Heart Association
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Diabetes, Cardiovascular Risks, and Lipoproteins
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Adipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiovascular Function and Risk Factors
Keywords
metabolic syndrome, diagnostic criteria, cardiovascular risk factors, type 2 diabetes, abdominal obesity, waist circumference, dyslipidemia, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL cholesterol, hyperglycemia, hypertension, IDF criteria, AHA/NHLBI criteria, cut points, screening
MeSH terms
Blood Glucose, Cardiovascular Diseases, Diabetes Mellitus, Humans, Hypertension, Insulin Resistance, Cholesterol, HDL, Terminology as Topic, Obesity, Risk Factors, Triglycerides, Metabolic Syndrome, Abdominal Fat, Waist Circumference

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