Summary: The coexistence of obesity, elevated blood pressure, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism disorders, referred to as metabolic syndrome (MS), is an important health and social problem in Poland. The following definition of metabolic syndrome has been proposed: the main criterion for its diagnosis is obesity and the presence of two out of three: elevated blood pressure, abnormal glucose metabolism or elevated non-HDL cholesterol (atherogenic dyslipidemia). Poland belongs to the group of countries characterized by high cardiovascular risk (CV). Optimal management to reduce the CV risk should be based not on addressing single risk factors, but on looking at the bigger picture and simultaneously act on risk factors that often coexist and are causally related, because then a significant reduction in the CV risk can be obtained. Not only does obesity often coexist with elevated blood pressure, glucose and lipid disorders, but is also a reversible cause of their development provided it is properly treated. From this perspective, the concept of "metabolic syndrome" seems appropriate, as it allows for a holistic approach to a person suffering from obesity, indicating the necessity to identify and modify coexisting important CV risk factors and early prevention of their development.