Final answer:
Metabolic syndrome characteristics include abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high glucose and triglycerides, and low HDL levels; obesity due to genetic causes is not a characteristic.
Step-by-step explanation:
The characteristics of metabolic syndrome include abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high blood glucose and triglyceride levels, and low blood HDL levels. These factors are strongly associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. However, one trait that is not considered a characteristic of metabolic syndrome is obesity due to genetic causes, as the accepted criteria focus on the specific factors listed above.