ABSTRACT
The 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data found that 34% of adults in the United States at that time met the criteria for metabolic syndrome (MetS; discussed below) and were at heightened risk for developing type II diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease (CVD) (Ervin 2009). Current therapies include lifestyle changes and pharmaceuticals to treat the various clinical conditions present in individuals with MetS. Diet and lifestyle interventions to promote weight loss were shown to be more effective than drug-based therapy alone for treatment of MetS or type II diabetes (Knowler et al. 2002; Orchard et al. 2005). As edible plants contain an abundance of polyphenols that are associated with health maintenance and reduced incidence of chronic diseases (Cherniack 2011; Lila 2007), public health agencies in the United States and worldwide have recommended
7.1 Overview ....................................................................................................... 199 7.2 Characteristics of MetS ................................................................................200 7.3 Evidence for Anthocyanins as an Intervention for MetS ..............................202
