Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a disorder with central obesity, essential
hypertension (HT), glucose tolerance disorder, diabetes mellitus (DM), dyslipidaemia,
and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), which occurs under the
influence of genetic predisposition and is based on insulin resistance (IR). MetS is well
defined in adults, although MetS is a complex multifactorial disease with a not entirely
recognized definition in childhood. Nevertheless, MetS is described as the presence of
obesity, IR, dyslipidaemia, and HT. The increase in the rate of MetS in children is at
alarming levels. The first step in the prevention and treatment of MetS is to recommend
and implement healthy lifestyle changes from an early age. Healthy lifestyle changes
should include not only children but also all family members and should be targeted to
be maintained throughout life. One method of preventing CVD in adulthood should be
the care of children with MetS. It is necessary to carry out studies to prevent MetS and
to measure the effect of these studies on the frequency of MetS. In terms of preventive
medicine, children with a family history of T2DM and/or MetS burden, body obesity
on physical examination, and IR findings such as acanthosis nigricans should be
monitored more closely and early treatment should be initiated in cases with IR at-risk
for T2DM. In line with the objectives, continuous training on the evaluation of
childhood obesity is necessary for paediatricians and general practitioners.
Keywords: Children, Diabetes mellitus, Dyslipidaemia, Glucose tolerance disorder, Metabolic Syndrome, Obesity.
