Metabolic syndrome was previously heard as a condition that is associated with old-aged and middle-aged adults but now, it is becoming a common type of diagnosis even in teenagers in young adults. The once-long decades of bad health are appearing now sooner than ever before: fuelled by the contemporary lifestyle habits and the undiagnosed metabolic strain.
The predominant causes of the acceleration of insulin resistance at an earlier age are sedentary lifestyles, screen time, lack of sleep, chronic stresses, and high content of refined carbohydrates, sugars, and ultra processed foods. Therefore, groups of metabolic diseases like obesity of the abdomen, high blood pressure, diabetes, unbalanced lipid are manifesting well before the age of middle youth.
What is one of the most alarming things is the fact that the metabolic syndrome very frequently occurs without apparent signs. There is a risk of young people being asymptomatic carriers of insulin resistance and low-grade inflammation that can quiet down when it comes to diabetes type 2, cardiovascular disease, fatty liver disease, and hormonal disorders like PCOS.
Metabolic imbalance is also caused by urbanization, inconsistent food intaking time, eating late, deprivation of sleep and high levels of cortisol. Normalization of fatigue, gain of weight and lack of fitness amongst the youth postpones early detection and intervention.
The remedial to this change has to be a combination of screening at early age, preventive measures that do not involve drugs at the later stages of life, physical exercise, good food, dealing with stress, and regulation of sleep, not drugs. Metabolic health has to be proactively undertaken, rather than reactionary.
Do you believe that regular metabolic screenings are not started early enough as it is at the moment?
MBH/PS