The metabolic syndrome is a medical condition defined by high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, increased abdominal obesity (gain in fat around the region of the stomach), and insulin resistance. Insulin is the hormone that your body produces to decrease the levels of sugar in your blood. A person that is insulin resistant needs more insulin to decrease blood sugar levels than a normal person does. Insulin resistance can lead to type 2 diabetes, which is one of the most common illnesses in the United States.