Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. These conditions include: increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, fatty liver disease and abnormal lipid levels (cholesterol, HDL & TG). The more you have, the higher the risk for disease.
Having just one of these conditions doesn’t mean you have metabolic syndrome. Due to our unhealthy lifestyles, metabolic syndrome is increasingly common in South Africa. Certain changes to improve your health, can delay or even prevent the development of serious health problems. Unfortunately we don’t always get direct symptoms for these conditions. That is why it is so important to keep your weight within normal range.
According to a study by ERICA it was found that snacking while watching television, being on the computer, or playing video games appears to increase the risk of metabolic syndrome in adolescents. Data from 33,900 school-going adolescents aged 12–17 years was used in this study done in Brazil.
They measured blood pressure levels, waist circumference and collected fasting blood samples of glucose and cholesterol.
Surveys provided information on their daily screen time – television-, computer-, or video game-facing time. They also provided information on their snack intake in front of screens.
The findings were that 85% consumed snacks while watching television, while 64% did so while on the computer or playing video games.
They concluded that higher screen-based sedentary times were positively associated with metabolic syndrome. However, this association is modified by snack intake.
It might not be so easy to limit screen time as we live surrounded by them. Maybe the focus should rather be on the snacking?
“The take home message is limiting your screen time is important, but when it is not possible, avoiding snack consumption may help you to reduce your risk of metabolic syndrome” according to Dr Schaan.
Why not improve your eating habits and prevent Metabolic Syndrome by managing your weight through our online weight loss diet miLIFE. It is available online at www.midiet.co.za.
