Nearly 40% of people over 40 have metabolic syndrome! Primary care clinics join the promotion of the "Metabolic Syndrome Prevention and Treatment Program"

According to the statistics of causes of death in Taiwan in 2020, more than half of the top ten causes of death in Taiwan are chronic diseases, especially heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, hypertensive diseases, nephritis nephrotic syndrome and kidney disease. These diseases do not have special symptoms in the early stages, but often have common risk factors, such as abdominal obesity (determined by waist circumference), three highs (blood pressure, blood lipids, blood sugar), and low good cholesterol. If three or more of these five risk factors are present, the person is suffering from metabolic syndrome.

From left to right: Director Li Bochang of the Central Health Insurance Administration, Director Wu Zhaojun of the National Health Administration, Minister Chen Shizhong of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and Executive Director Huang Zhenguo of the National Federation of Medical Associations of the Republic of China. (Photo provided by National Health Administration)

Patients with metabolic syndrome have a 2 to 6 times higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia than the general public. Therefore, effective early prevention or control and management of metabolic syndrome is the only way to block the occurrence of chronic diseases and reduce health risks to the public.

More than 37% of people over 40 years old have metabolic syndrome, about 710,000 people are candidates for the three highs

Unhealthy lifestyle is the main factor leading to metabolic syndrome. Compared with the general population, smokers and people who lack physical activity have a 1.5-fold and 2-fold increased risk of metabolic syndrome, respectively. People suffering from metabolic syndrome often neglect the importance of self-health management because they do not have obvious symptoms of physical discomfort, thus missing out on the opportunity to stay away from chronic diseases. According to the National Health Administration's 2020 adult preventive health care service data, more than 37% of people aged 40 and above who received adult health check-up services were found to have metabolic syndrome, and about 710,000 people were facing the risk of chronic diseases such as the three highs, which further demonstrates the importance of early management of metabolic syndrome.

The National Health Administration and the Central Health Insurance Administration work together to encourage grassroots clinics to join the "Metabolic Syndrome Prevention and Treatment Program"

In order to help the public manage their metabolic syndrome, the National Health Administration and the Central Health Insurance Administration have worked together to promote the "Metabolic Syndrome Prevention and Treatment Program". Through grassroots clinics, they serve as local health neighbors to help the public effectively improve common risk factors for chronic diseases and stay away from the hazards of metabolic syndrome.

Minister Chen Shih-chung of the Ministry of Health and Welfare said that the "Metabolic Syndrome Prevention and Treatment Program" is aimed at people aged 20 to 64 who are found to have metabolic syndrome through health checks. With the help of doctors in primary care institutions, their chronic disease risk factors are assessed, and then according to personalized health management needs, health guidance such as diet, exercise, weight control, smoking cessation, and three highs management is provided. Doctors and patients jointly set improvement goals, conduct regular tracking and annual evaluations to understand whether the individual's metabolic syndrome has improved. The public is expected to follow the health code of early health checks, early management, and avoidance of chronic diseases.

People over the age of 40 are urged to make good use of the free adult preventive health care services provided by the National Health Administration to understand whether they have metabolic syndrome. By cooperating with this plan as early as possible and managing their personal health under the guidance of a doctor, they can regain their health and avoid the occurrence of chronic diseases.