Which of the following best defines the components of metabolic syndrome?

• A. Hyponatremia and obesity
• B. Hyperglycemia only
• C. Central obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia (high triglycerides, low HDL), and insulin resistance.
• D. Hypothyroidism and low blood pressure

Answer: (C)

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of interrelated risk factors that together raise the risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. A central feature is abdominal (central) obesity, and when combined with high blood pressure, dyslipidemia (high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol), and insulin resistance, it defines the syndrome. This mix of factors reflects a shared metabolic disturbance that amplifies cardiovascular risk far more than any single abnormality alone. In practice, diagnosis is based on meeting several criteria, linking the obesity-related, lipid, blood pressure, and glucose abnormalities. Hyponatremia isn’t part of this pattern, having obesity or hyperglycemia alone isn’t sufficient to define the syndrome, and hypothyroidism with low blood pressure doesn’t capture the characteristic cluster of central obesity, hypertension, and dyslipidemia with insulin resistance.