Which term describes a syndrome marked by three or more of a group of factors including high blood pressure, abdominal obesity, high triglyceride levels, low HDL levels, and high fasting levels of blood sugar, linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes?

• A. Risk Factor
• B. Heart Disease
• C. Metabolic Syndrome
• D. Stroke

Answer: (C)

Metabolic syndrome describes a cluster of metabolic abnormalities that together raise the risk of cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes. It is diagnosed when three or more of these factors are present: high blood pressure, central (abdominal) obesity, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, and elevated fasting glucose. This combination reflects underlying insulin resistance and dyslipidemia, and recognizing the syndrome explains why several risk factors amplify disease risk when they occur together rather than individually. Other terms like a generic risk factor refer to a single contributor, while heart disease and stroke are diseases, not a clustering diagnosis of metabolic abnormalities.