‘This syndrome, which is usually without symptoms, except for an expanding waistline, might someday overtake smoking as a leading cause of cardiovascular diseases and deaths.’
THE epidemic of childhood obesity, which obviously parallels the incidence among adults, has contributed to the explosion of metabolic syndrome, the most common cause of major illnesses our society faces today. The word “metabolic” refers to the biochemical processes and physiology governing the body’s normal functions to achieve homeostasis (a balanced, healthy state).
What is Metabolic Syndrome?
Metabolic Syndrome is also called Insulin Resistance Syndrome or Syndrome X. This is a cluster of medical risk factors — high blood pressure, high fasting blood sugar and cholesterol/triglyceride levels, and excess body fat around the waist — that increase the likelihood of heart attacks, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. This syndrome, which is usually without symptoms, except for an expanding waistline, might someday overtake smoking as a leading cause of cardiovascular diseases and deaths.
How common is Metabolic Syndrome?
Metabolic Syndrome is very common in the United States. About 35 percent of all adults and 50 percent of those aged 60 and over have this syndrome. The “seeds” for this condition are planted while the fetus is in the womb and continue during childhood, where the children’s DNA is gradually damaged by unhealthy diet, habits, and behavior of the mother and the children themselves, starting from the crib. Children drinking soft drinks, diet or regular, cola or uncola, are 40 percent more prone to develop metabolic syndrome, starting with weight gain and then childhood obesity, later, hypertension (high blood pressure), arthritis, heart attack, stroke, Alzheimer’s, and even cancer. Soft drinks are also toxic to adults as well, with 40 percent risk also, according to the US National Institute of Health.
What are the risk factors?
Excessive caloric intake (overeating, especially rice and other non-vegetable carbohydrates) and lack or absence of exercise, leading to overweight condition or obesity, are the main factors that contribute to the development of Metabolic Syndrome. While heredity is a factor, it is outweighed by lifestyle, behavior, and habits. Filipinos have an 11.3 percent incidence of diabetes compared to Chinese, 4.4 percent, because of rice consumption and other carbohydrates (including bread, ice cream, sweets, etc). Chinese eat smaller amounts of rice, and they also eat a lot of vegetables, tofu, and nuts daily. Many of them are vegetarians. Low carbs are healthier.
Are chubby kids healthy?
Absolutely not! While growing up, I remember society’s concept that a chubby child was a healthy child. Medically, it could not be farther from the scientific truth. Even today, television shows feature chubby kids as actors, which sends a bad signal to the viewers. Children who are overweight, who are not guided and disciplined to portion their caloric intake, especially from rice, and other carbohydrates (bread, sweets), will become obese adults and face all the disease consequences of obesity, including cancer. Obesity is a significant risk factor in the development of cancer. The earlier the appropriate dieting starts, the better for the child’s health and longevity as an adult.
How do we prevent Metabolic Syndrome?
As with any illness, prevention is the key. In my book, Let’s Stop “Killing” Our Children (www.philipSchua.com), I have highlighted the fundamental principle that disease prevention must be a proactive and pre-emptive strategy starting from the cellular level (in the womb and in the crib) to protect the child’s DNA from any damages that will lead to diseases. Maternal lifestyle, habits, and health during pregnancy are essential in shielding the DNA of the fetus from toxic substances during its time in the womb and in the crib after delivery. The protection includes dieting for the baby starting from the crib and onward to teen years and adulthood. By protecting the DNA, these children (future adults) will not have to be saddled with the illnesses most of us have today, heredity considered, as I have alluded to earlier.
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Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, Health Advocate, newspaper columnist, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. He was a decorated recipient of the Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash Award in 1995, bestowed by the then Indiana Governor, later a Senator, and a presidential candidate, the Honorable Evan Bayh. Other Sagamore past awardees include President Harry Truman, President George HW Bush, Muhammad Ali, Astronaut Gus Grissom, etc. (Wikipedia). Websites: FUN8888.com, Today.SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua.com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com
