Metabolic Syndrome and Nutritional Interventions

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of pathophysiological conditions that are associated with many other diseases including dyslipidaemia, cardiovascular diseases, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Obesity is one of the many factors implicated in the progression of metabolic syndrome. Although some genetic components have been shown to be responsible for obesity, recent increase in the rate of obesity globally is mainly associated with the altered life-style (mostly sedentary) and food habit which includes consuming many and frequent meals during the day and energy-rich Westernized diet which are usually deficient of fibres and supply excessive calorie in shorter duration. Therefore, the weight loss by hypocaloric diet and life-style modifications are recommended to manage obesity and associated complications that come under metabolic syndrome. Recent focus on the functional food-derived nutrient components including polyphenols such as alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenes, saponins, etc. has advocated nutritional intervention in patients as a preventive and therapeutic approach for metabolic syndrome and life-style-associated diseases. In the present chapter, recent insight in the field of nutraceuticals and metabolic syndrome has been discussed.