Metabolic syndrome (MetS), defined as clustering of abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and elevated blood pressure, is strongly associated with cardiovascular related mortality and morbidity around the world [1,2]. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) definition, the population attributable risks of MetS for the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality are 17 % and 7 %, respectively [2,3]. In addition, individuals with MetS are at an increased risk of other diseases including prothrombotic and proinflammatory states, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and reproductive disorders [1,3,4].
