Despite this limitation of the metabolic syndrome as a risk indicator for those specific diseases, individuals with the metabolic syndrome are generally characterized by central obesity accompanied by generalized low-grade inflammation (i.e. higher plasma concentrations of C-reactive protein, interleukin [IL]-6, and other inflammatory markers) and insulin resistance and do have a higher chance of developing CVD and/or T2DM2,25–27. Here, IL6 is linked to metabolic syndrome.