Obesity among North American men is reaching epidemic proportions. And if you carry that fat around your waist, you're at risk for developing metabolic syndrome.

The guys you see with those big, hard beer bellies are perfect candidates for metabolic syndrome, which is a collection of symptoms that includes having high blood pressure, high blood triglyceride levels, and insulin resistance.

They're all factors that increase the risk for heart disease, diabetes and stroke.

Some 30 per cent of men over age 60 have the syndrome -- and according to new research, carrying excess belly fat can increase a man's risk for bladder and prostate trouble.

"Men care a lot more about their cars than they do about their bodies and we've got to fix that," said urologist Dr. Larry Goldenberg.

"You could have a slow urinary stream, hesitancy, getting up at night to pee, urgency, frequency, going all the time or ... finding it difficult to hold back when you get the urge to go," said urologist Dr. Larry Goldenberg.

While these may all be signs of aging, having metabolic syndrome can make all these symptoms appear sooner rather than later.

"That insulin resistance may directly affect the prostate's growth by increasing its speed of growth," said Dr. Goldenberg.

What's more, the syndrome also disrupts male hormones and causes chronic inflammations.

"That may result in a cascade of inflammatory events in various organs of the body, including the prostate, which can result in the growth of the prostate," said Dr. Goldenberg.

To decrease your risk of premature urinary problems, aim to prevent the metabolic syndrome in the first place, by staying active and maintaining a healthy body weight.

Is there anything else men can do to prevent prostate symptoms?

There is the unavoidable problem of just getting older that men can't do anything about. But one good study looking at about 4,000 middle-aged to older men found that being physically active helped. Those who walked two to three hours a week could decrease their risk of developing benign prostatic enlargement by 25 per cent. We still don't know if men who already have metabolic syndrome and urinary symptoms can see an improvement in their symptoms through lifestyle changes.

Where can men get more information about metabolic syndrome?

The first clinic for metabolic syndrome in Canada is at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver. Patients will get screened with state of the art imaging for atherosclerosis, individualized and intense diet recommendations, an exercise program, help with stopping smoking, family counselling and assessment of your life circumstances. Your family doctor can refer you to the program, but you can make an appointment yourself if you've already been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.

Is there already a new study out of the U.S. on the effectiveness of a common cholesterol medication?

Yes -- the drug is Ezetrol, marketed in the U.S. under the name Zetia. What the study found is that while the drug is effective in lowering cholesterol levels, it does not reduce existing plaques in your arteries any more than statin drugs. It's good news for patients needing to lower their cholesterol -- but you'll want to talk to your doctor if you were counting on it to reduce plaque in your arteries.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Dr. Rhonda Low