It's Grim, Folks...any top-12%'ers here?

It's worse than I thought.

Prevalence of Optimal Metabolic Health in American Adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009–2016.

Looking at almost 9,000 people for five health markers, it appears that only about 12% were considered "metabolically healthy." The health markers used included:

1. Blood pressure: 120/80.
2. Waist Circumference: Under 40" for men, 35" for women.
3. Fasting Glucose <100 mg/dL and HbA1c <5.7%.
4. Triglycerides <150 mg/dL and HDL-C ≥40/50 mg/dL in men/women.
5. Not taking medications for blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol.

Proud to say I am metabolically healthy!  And I hope you are, too. 

Let me tell you about my blood pressure, though.  At one time I was on two BP meds. After I lost considerable weight back around 2010, my BP stayed around 140/90.  Sometimes it would be as high at 150/90, the doc wanted me back on meds. I had to go see a nurse every morning for two weeks, and my BP was consistently in the 130-140 range.  They said I "didn't have to" get on meds, but they really thought I should. I didn't.

A couple years ago I started walking 10,000 steps a day, or about 1-1/2 hours a day. If I walk at normal speed, it's about 6000 steps per hour. My routine has been to walk during work breaks, lunch, and after work as much as I can. I can usually get in a 30 minute walk, with several 15-30 minutes more walks every day. I even have a treadmill at home, so I can get an hour every evening even if the weather's bad outside.

Anyhow, my blood pressure is now almost exactly 120/80 every time I check it.  As low as maybe 110/75 and I can't recall the last time I saw a 130.

At one time, I would have scored 0 out of 5 on the test. And was definitely unhealthy. As my weight dropped, all the other markers fell into line. The only thing I'm consistently low on is HDL cholesterol which hovers between 30-40.

Somebody should write a book about all this stuff!
Later,
Tim