ABSTRACT
The general concept of metabolic syndrome describes a clustering of metabolic abnormalities associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and hypertension. 1–4 Several definitions of metabolic syndrome exist, 5–9 with the most widely used coming from the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Program-III (ATP III). 9,10 Using this definition, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome continues to increase in the United States, from 22% in 1994 to 34.5% in 2002. 7,11
