Final answer:
The criteria for a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome include hypertension, elevated triglycerides, elevated plasma glucose, and increased waist circumference. Decreased LDLs are not a criterion; rather, low HDL levels are characteristic of metabolic syndrome.
Step-by-step explanation:
The criteria that must be met for a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome include several factors. These factors are integral in the determination of this syndrome, which significantly raises the risk for more serious health issues such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
- Hypertension: High blood pressure is a critical component of metabolic syndrome.
- Elevated triglycerides: Having a high level of triglycerides, a type of fat (lipid) in your blood, is a distinctive marker of metabolic syndrome.
- Elevated plasma glucose: High blood glucose levels are indicative of potential insulin resistance or diabetes, which are aspects of metabolic syndrome.
- Increased waist circumference: Abdominal obesity, or a larger waist circumference, is a defining characteristic of metabolic syndrome.
However, decreased low-density lipoproteins (LDL), also known as 'bad cholesterol,' is not a criterion for metabolic syndrome. Instead, metabolic syndrome is characterized by low levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL), which are considered the 'good cholesterol.' High levels of LDL may contribute to atherogenic dyslipidemia, but they are not a diagnostic criterion for metabolic syndrome.