Adults with metabolic syndrome can decrease most of their risk factors for heart disease, stroke and diabetes without time-consuming interventions, a new pilot study found. The results will be presented Sunday, June 15, at The Endocrine Society’s 90th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

Other programs require many visits with healthcare providers and personal trainers to prevent or treat metabolic syndrome, said lead author Helene Bihan, MD, a diabetes specialist at Avicenne Hospital in Bobigny, France. Their program involved just two doctor’s visits, yet it reduced the frequency of metabolic syndrome by 52 percent, Bihan said.

“The prevalence of metabolic syndrome can decrease with a short, cost-effective program of education and involving the patient’s general practitioner,” she said.

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of metabolic risk factors that increase the chances of developing heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. To receive this diagnosis, patients must have three of the following five risk factors: increased waist circumference (abdominal fat), low HDL (“good”) cholesterol, high triglycerides (fats in the blood), high blood pressure, and high blood sugar.

Patients in the study were recruited from a health center that offered a free checkup. They ranged in age from 45 to 60 years. Participants received a published guide and a 45-minute educational session with a physician, who recommended a healthy diet and increased physical activity.

The lifestyle interventions relied on French guidelines from the National Program for Nutrition and Health (Programme National Nutrition Santé). This program stresses a balanced diet that limits consumption of fat, sugar, and salt. It also recommends increasing physical activity to the equivalent of 30 minutes of brisk walking daily.

Patients were told to return 3 months later to their primary care physician, who was asked to reinforce the need for the patient to continue these lifestyle modifications.

Of the 95 original study participants (46 men and 49 women), 82 completed the study. All but eight received a 3-month follow-up visit with their primary care physician. All 82 patients received an evaluation from the researchers 6 months after the first educational intervention.

At 6 months, many of the participants reported that they decreased their consumption of unhealthy foods, especially sugary drinks, sweets, and high-fat foods. Nearly 39 percent of men increased their exercise level, and 17 percent of women reported being more physically active. Blood pressure, triglycerides, and waist size decreased, respectively, in 30, 29, and 25 percent of the patients, the study found. Only 43 of the 82 patients still had metabolic syndrome, a decrease of more than 52 percent, according to Bihan.

Bihan disclosed that she received travel funds from Novartis, which makes blood pressure and cholesterol-lowering medications.

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Founded in 1916, The Endocrine Society is the world's oldest, largest, and most active organization devoted to research on hormones and the clinical practice of endocrinology. Today, The Endocrine Society's membership consists of over 14,000 scientists, physicians, educators, nurses and students in more than 80 countries. Together, these members represent all basic, applied, and clinical interests in endocrinology. The Endocrine Society is based in Chevy Chase, Md. To learn more about the Society, and the field of endocrinology, visit our web site at www.endo-society.org.