Risk Factor Defining Level Abdominal Obesity Waist Circumference Men >102 cm (>40 in) Women >88 cm (>35 in) Triglycerides 150 mg/dL HDL cholesterol Men <40 mg/dL Women <50 mg/dL Blood pressure 130/85 mmHg Fasting glucose 110 mg/dL

^* The ATP III panel did not find adequate evidence to recommend routine measurement of insulin resistance (e.g., plasma insulin), proinflammatory state (e.g., high-sensitivity C-reactive protein), or prothrombotic state (e.g., fibrinogen or PAI-1) in the diagnosis of the metabolic syndrome.

Some male persons can develop multiple metabolic risk factors when the waist circumference is only marginally increased, e.g., 94-102 cm (37-39 in). Such persons may have a strong genetic contribution to insulin resistance. They should benefit from changes in life habits, similarly to men with categorical increases in waist circumference.