Metabolic Health Score Calculator
Estimate your metabolic health status using the five criteria defined by the AHA/NHLBI: waist circumference, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, blood pressure, and fasting glucose. Research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found only ~7% of US adults meet optimal levels for all five markers.
What You'll Get
- Metabolic health score (0-5 criteria met)
- Risk category (optimal, at-risk, metabolic syndrome)
- Which markers need attention
- Recommended lab tests for markers you don't know
- Comparison to population averages by age group
How to test metabolic markers at home
You don't need a lab appointment to check your own metabolic markers — a few at-home kits mail you a collection kit and return physician-reviewed results online within days:
Prefer to order direct? The Everlywell HbA1c Test uses a CLIA-certified lab, physician-reviewed results, and prepaid return shipping.
What to Look For in a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM)
Over-the-counter CGMs like Dexcom Stelo and Abbott Lingo now sell without a prescription. Check the wear time (14–15 days per sensor), whether it reads to your phone or needs a separate device, and the monthly cost. For seeing how your own body responds to meals, a month or two is usually enough — you don't need to wear one forever.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of adults have optimal metabolic health?
Only about 6.8% of US adults meet all five metabolic health criteria (waist circumference, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, blood pressure, and fasting glucose), according to a 2022 study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
What is metabolic syndrome?
Metabolic syndrome is diagnosed when 3 or more of 5 criteria are abnormal: elevated waist circumference, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, and high fasting glucose. It significantly increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Why does my result show both optimal markers and metabolic syndrome risk factors?
The calculator displays two counts because markers in the optimal range and metabolic syndrome risk factors use different cut points. The headline score counts markers in the optimal range, such as blood pressure under 120/80 mmHg. A 2022 study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found only about 6.8% of US adults meet all five optimal criteria. The risk-factor line uses the 2009 harmonized criteria, which define elevated blood pressure as 130 systolic or 85 diastolic or higher. A reading of 124/78 falls outside the optimal range but stays below that risk cut point. If you take blood pressure medicine, the calculator counts the blood pressure risk factor as present. Three or more risk factors is the threshold used for metabolic syndrome, and only a clinician can make that diagnosis.
Topic updates
Get the weekly metabolic health roundup
Insulin resistance, blood sugar, visceral fat, GLP-1 plateaus, metabolic syndrome, and weight-loss physiology.
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