At present, further research is necessary to examine the health risks associated with (i) different combinations of MetS components in diverse populations, (ii) the relative importance of each MetS component in predicting different health outcomes, and (iii) the independent contribution of MetS in predicting risk of morbidity and mortality beyond that incurred by other risk factors.
Executive summary of the third report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III). JAMA, 285: 2486–2497.  Smith, S.C., Jr., Clark, L.T., Cooper, R.S., Daniels, S.R., Kumanyika, S.K., Ofili, E., et al.