# Metabolic Syndrome Calculator

URL: https://speedycalculator.com/calculators/health/metabolic-syndrome/
Last updated: 2026-10-30

> The metabolic syndrome calculator checks the five harmonised criteria – waist size, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, blood pressure and fasting glucose – and tells you whether you meet the definition (three or more criteria).

## Inputs

- Sex
- Waist cut-offs
- Waist circumference (cm, in, m, ft, mm)
- Triglycerides (mg/dL, mmol/L)
- HDL cholesterol (mg/dL, mmol/L)
- Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)
- Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)
- Fasting glucose (mg/dL, mmol/L)
- Treated for high triglycerides
- Treated for low HDL
- Treated for high blood pressure
- Treated for high blood sugar

## Results

- Waist criterion
- Triglycerides criterion
- HDL criterion
- Blood pressure criterion
- Glucose criterion
- Criteria met
- Metabolic syndrome

## Formula

```
Metabolic syndrome = 3 or more of:
• waist ≥ 102 cm men / 88 cm women (≥ 90 / 80 cm Asian)
• triglycerides ≥ 150 mg/dL or treated
• HDL < 40 mg/dL men / < 50 women or treated
• BP ≥ 130/85 or treated
• fasting glucose ≥ 100 mg/dL or treated
```

## Explanation

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors that doubles the risk of heart disease and raises the risk of type 2 diabetes about five-fold. About one in three US adults meets the definition.

### How to use the Metabolic Syndrome Calculator

- **Sex**
- **Waist cut-offs**
- **Waist circumference**
- **Triglycerides**
- **HDL cholesterol**
- **Systolic blood pressure**
- **Diastolic blood pressure**
- **Fasting glucose**
- **Treated for high triglycerides**
- **Treated for low HDL**
- **Treated for high blood pressure**
- **Treated for high blood sugar**

Results update as you type, and every field accepts the units shown in its menu.

### How it works

Enter your measurements and say whether you take treatment for each condition. Each criterion met counts one point.

### Tips

- Use results from the same fasting state the formula expects (most lipid formulas assume fasting).
- Check the units on your lab report before entering values.
- Discuss treatment targets with your clinician – they depend on your overall risk.
- Repeat abnormal results; a single value can be misleading.

### Common mistakes to avoid

- Using Friedewald LDL when triglycerides are above 400 mg/dL.
- Mixing mg/dL and mmol/L values in one calculation.
- Ignoring other risk factors such as smoking and blood pressure.

### Inputs explained

FieldWhat to enterSexChoose one: Male, FemaleWaist cut-offsChoose one: Europid, African, Middle Eastern, Americas, South Asian, Chinese, JapaneseWaist circumferenceUnits: cm, in, m, ft, mmTriglyceridesUnits: mg/dL, mmol/LHDL cholesterolUnits: mg/dL, mmol/LSystolic blood pressureIn mmHgDiastolic blood pressureIn mmHgFasting glucoseUnits: mg/dL, mmol/LTreated for high triglyceridesChoose one: No, YesTreated for low HDLChoose one: No, YesTreated for high blood pressureChoose one: No, YesTreated for high blood sugarChoose one: No, Yes
*Health note: this calculator is for education and screening only and is not a diagnosis or treatment advice. Discuss your results with a qualified clinician.*

## Worked example

Inputs — Sex: Male; Waist cut-offs: Europid, African, Middle Eastern, Americas; Waist circumference: 100 cm; Triglycerides: 160 mg/dL; HDL cholesterol: 42 mg/dL; Systolic blood pressure: 128 mmHg; Diastolic blood pressure: 82 mmHg; Fasting glucose: 95 mg/dL; Treated for high triglycerides: No; Treated for low HDL: No; Treated for high blood pressure: No; Treated for high blood sugar: No.

Results — Waist criterion = Not met; Triglycerides criterion = Met; HDL criterion = Not met; Blood pressure criterion = Not met; Glucose criterion = Not met; Criteria met = 1 of 5; **Metabolic syndrome = Not present**.

## Key terms

- **Visceral obesity**: Fat around the abdominal organs.

## FAQ

**Is metabolic syndrome a disease?**
It is a cluster of risk factors rather than a single disease, but it signals high cardiometabolic risk.

**Can it be reversed?**
Yes – weight loss, activity, a healthy diet and stopping smoking improve every component.

**Why are waist cut-offs different for Asian people?**
Risk rises at smaller waist sizes in these populations.


## Sources

- [Alberti KG et al. Harmonizing the metabolic syndrome. Circulation, 2009](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19805654/)