Final answer:
Having metabolic syndrome increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes due to a combination of risk factors such as abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high blood glucose, and abnormal lipid levels.
Step-by-step explanation:
If you have metabolic syndrome, you are more at risk of developing conditions such as cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. This condition is characterized by a constellation of individual risk factors, such as abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high blood glucose and triglyceride levels, and low blood HDL ('good cholesterol') levels. These risk factors, when occurring together, significantly increase the chance of serious health complications.
Mentioned in the description of metabolic syndrome are other conditions that are often associated with it, although not part of the official diagnostic criteria. These include hyperuricemia, a prothrombotic state, oxidative stress, chronic low-grade inflammation, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, among others. These can all exacerbate the risk of developing the primary diseases associated with metabolic syndrome.