More than 30% of the global population lives with metabolic syndrome — a cluster of conditions that includes high blood pressure, abdominal obesity, abnormal cholesterol levels, and elevated blood sugar. While this constellation of risk factors has long been tied to diabetes, stroke, and cardiovascular disease, new evidence suggests it may also predispose people to Parkinson’s disease, one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders worldwide.
A study published in Neurology, the journal of the American Academy of Neurology, analyzed health data from more than 467,000 participants in the U.K. Biobank over 15 years. Researchers found that people with metabolic syndrome were nearly 40% more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than those without it.
“This suggests that maintaining metabolic health may be especially important for people who have genes that increase their risk for Parkinson’s disease,” said Weili Xu, PhD, professor of geriatric epidemiology at the Karolinska Institutet and senior author of the study.
What is metabolic syndrome?
Metabolic syndrome is diagnosed when an individual has three or more of the following: abdominal obesity (waist size of 40 inches or more in men, 35 inches or more in women), high fasting glucose, elevated blood pressure, high triglycerides, or low HDL cholesterol (“good” cholesterol).
It is estimated that one in four adults worldwide has the syndrome, making it a widespread and highly modifiable risk factor.
Metabolic health and the brain
Michael S. Okun, MD, director of the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at UF Health, who was not involved in the study, said the results underscore a growing recognition: “Abdominal obesity, high blood sugar, and abnormal cholesterol patterns are not just cardiovascular red flags — they may also accelerate brain neurodegeneration.”
Okun emphasized a “dose-response relationship,” noting that Parkinson’s risk climbs with each additional feature of metabolic syndrome. “Those carrying four or five components seem to be at the greatest risk,” he explained.
Implications for prevention
Daniel Truong, MD, neurologist and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Clinical Parkinsonism and Related Disorders, said the findings highlight the broader systemic effects of metabolic syndrome.
“We already know it drives cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dementia, and cancer,” he said. “Now, evidence shows it also raises the risk of Parkinson’s, strengthening the view that metabolic syndrome is not just a vascular or metabolic condition but a systemic disorder with neurological consequences.”
Truong noted that Parkinson’s disease often develops silently for a decade or more before tremors or stiffness appear. Subtle nonmotor signs, such as constipation or sleep disturbances, may already be underway. “By identifying at-risk individuals with metabolic syndrome, we can intervene earlier — prevention becomes possible,” he added.
A call to action
The study’s authors and outside experts agree on one point: metabolic syndrome is highly modifiable. Weight loss, blood pressure control, managing blood sugar, and improving cholesterol levels remain achievable goals with lifestyle changes, medical support, or both.
“This research suggests a new frontier for prevention,” Okun said. “If we can modify the risk factors, perhaps we can change the outcome.”
