The metabolic syndrome: Linking oxidative stress and inflammation to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and the syndrome

Metabolic syndrome defined by a cluster of clinical features increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The original hypothesis linking this syndrome to these diseases was based on insulin resistance and the effect of hyperinsulinemia on atherogenesis. However, inflammatory processes have now been linked to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and insulin resistance. Novel data have shown the effect of macronutrients on inflammatory mediators and the anti-inflammatory effects of insulin that is secreted in response to food intake. This review attempts to provide an alternative explanation for the pathogenesis of the metabolic syndrome and the increase in risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes on the basis of these findings.