Heart and metabolism
Metabolic syndrome criteria checker
Metabolic syndrome is not one test result. It is a cluster of five common findings, and having any three of them marks a higher risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Enter the numbers you know and see how many you meet.
Your numbers
Leave blank anything you do not know. Nothing you enter leaves this page.
What you will see
How many of the 5 criteria you meet, and which ones are still unknown.
Educational only, not medical advice. A check against published criteria, not a diagnosis.
Source
The 2009 harmonized definition from the International Diabetes Federation, NHLBI, American Heart Association, World Heart Federation, International Atherosclerosis Society and International Association for the Study of Obesity (Alberti et al., Circulation 2009).
Validated in
Adults. The waist cut point depends on sex and on the population you choose above.
Limits
Not for children or pregnancy. Uses single readings: a doctor confirms with repeated, measured values. It counts criteria; it does not estimate your own chance of heart disease.
The 5 criteria
Under the 2009 harmonized definition, any 3 of these 5 findings qualify for metabolic syndrome (Alberti 2009). NHLBI puts it the same way: you may have metabolic syndrome if you have three or more (NHLBI).
| Criterion | Cut point | Also counts |
|---|---|---|
| Large waist | Depends on population and sex (see the next table) | - |
| High triglycerides | 150 mg/dL (1.7 mmol/L) or more | Taking medicine for high triglycerides |
| Low HDL cholesterol | Under 40 mg/dL (1.0 mmol/L) in men, under 50 mg/dL (1.3 mmol/L) in women | Taking medicine for low HDL |
| High blood pressure | Systolic 130 or more and/or diastolic 85 or more mm Hg | Taking blood pressure medicine, with a history of high blood pressure |
| High fasting glucose | 100 mg/dL or more | Taking medicine for high blood sugar |
The statement names fibrates and nicotinic acid as the drugs most often used for high triglycerides and low HDL: someone taking one of them can be presumed to have both. High-dose omega-3 fatty acids count for high triglycerides (Alberti 2009).
Waist cut points by population
The 2009 statement uses one set of cut points for everything except the waist, where national or regional cut points can be used (Alberti 2009). It recommends the IDF cut points for people of non-European origin, and either the IDF or the AHA/NHLBI cut points for people of European origin until more data are available (Alberti 2009).
| Population | Organization | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | AHA/NHLBI | 102 cm (40.2 in) or more | 88 cm (34.6 in) or more |
| Europid, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Sub-Saharan African | IDF | 94 cm (37 in) or more | 80 cm (31.5 in) or more |
| Asian (including Japanese), ethnic Central and South American | IDF | 90 cm (35.4 in) or more | 80 cm (31.5 in) or more |
The statement also lists other national cut points, for example 85 cm for men and 90 cm for women from the Japanese Obesity Society, and 85 cm and 80 cm for China (Alberti 2009). NHLBI's patient page gives the US figures as more than 40 inches for men and 35 inches for women, and notes that providers may use different values depending on race and ethnicity (NHLBI).
Why the cluster matters
According to the 2009 statement, people with metabolic syndrome have about twice the risk of developing cardiovascular disease over the next 5 to 10 years as people without it, and a 5-fold higher risk of type 2 diabetes (Alberti 2009). NHLBI estimates that about 1 in 3 US adults have metabolic syndrome (NHLBI).
It is not a full risk score. The statement points out that it leaves out age, sex, smoking and LDL cholesterol, which all shape your overall risk (Alberti 2009). For a 10-year estimate that includes them, use the heart risk calculator.
Common questions
Do I need a large waist to have metabolic syndrome?
No. The groups behind the 2009 statement agreed that a large waist should not be required: it is one of the five criteria, and any three qualify (Alberti 2009).
I have type 2 diabetes. Does this apply to me?
High glucose in the diabetes range still counts as a criterion, and the statement notes that most people with type 2 diabetes will meet the definition (Alberti 2009). Your diabetes care plan comes from your doctor.
Which numbers do I need?
A waist measurement, a blood pressure reading, and blood tests for fasting blood sugar, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides. NHLBI says the blood sugar test needs 8 to 12 hours of fasting (NHLBI). Your doctor can order these tests. If you have a full lipid panel, the LDL calculator uses the same results.
See also the waist-to-height ratio calculator, the diabetes risk test, the guide to prediabetes and blood pressure ranges.
Sources
- Alberti KGMM, Eckel RH, Grundy SM, et al. Harmonizing the metabolic syndrome: a joint interim statement of the International Diabetes Federation Task Force on Epidemiology and Prevention; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; American Heart Association; World Heart Federation; International Atherosclerosis Society; and International Association for the Study of Obesity. Circulation. 2009;120(16):1640-1645. doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.109.192644
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. What Is Metabolic Syndrome? Updated May 18, 2022. www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/metabolic-syndrome
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Metabolic Syndrome: Diagnosis. Updated May 18, 2022. www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/metabolic-syndrome/diagnosis
Written and maintained by the uncovermyrisk.com editorial team. We do not have a medical reviewer; every claim links to its primary source above. Last reviewed: 2026-10-28. Spotted an error? See About.