| dc.description.abstract | The metabolic syndrome is defined as the presence of at least three of the following criteria: central or abdominal obesity, hypertrglyceridemia, hypertension, low HDL cholesterol and high fasting glucose levels in an individual. Although metabolic syndrome is known as a problem of adults, in recent years it appears to be a major problem in children also. Identification of the metabolic syndrome in children is based on different definitions proposed by different research groups. All of the definitions share common features: First, all definitions include an obesity element (waist circumference or BMI), two "dyslipidemia" elements (elevated triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol), elevated blood pressure, and a component representing glucose metabolism (impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance). Because of the age-related differences in children and adolescents, the IDF suggests defining metabolic syndrome according to age groups. The increase in the prevalence of obesity in children, increase in the frequency of metabolic syndrome leading to the cause. Components of metabolic syndrome can be controlled separately by lifestyle interventions such as weight control, diet, and physical activity. Therefore, the primary treatment of metabolic syndrome should focus on factors such as dietary habits and physical activity. In this article, we discuss nutritional therapy of the metabolic syndrome in children. © The Journal of Current Pediatrics, published by Galenos Publishing. | en_US |
