A quick search yields a bunch of possible culprits.

Cortisol is related to the body clock...

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-08/cp-hta080206.php

...the circadian clock related to metabolic syndrome

http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/24869/title/Metabolism-gets-clocked/

I think that is too easy to argue. A list of other causes

for metabolic syndrome follows:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080501062802.htm

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-09/uoc--uss090611.php

http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/537642/

http://www.news-medical.net/news/2008/02/17/35304.aspx

http://phys.org/news122282219.html

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-08/bi-ipc080206.php

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-03/yu-rmc030107.php

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-02/ohs-rdr020806.php

http://phys.org/news120288986.html

http://www.news-medical.net/news/2008/01/23/34625.aspx

http://www.iol.co.za/scitech/technology/sleep-apnea-linked-to-metabolic-syndrome-1.369616

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-03/ps-mfr032913.php

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-01/uu-pbi012914.php

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-10/wkh-lwp102312.php

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-11/mhif-oan111913.php

Regards,

Joachim (not a medic)

Good read

Yes, most probably. Cushing syndrome is associated with upper body obesity (abdominal fat accumulation). Increased cortisol levels is the main culprit for Cushing associated abnormalities including abdominal fat accumulation. A main component of the metabolic syndrome is abdominal obesity. Also, cortisol has been suggested to contribute to development of abdominal obesity in postmenopausal females.

Reference:

Andersson T, Simonyte K, Andrew R, Strand M, Burén J, Walker BR, Mattsson C, Olsson T. Tissue-specific increases in 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 in normal weight postmenopausal women. PLoS One. 2009; 4(12): e8475.

Obesity and other chronic inflammatory diseases are associated with normal or slightly modified plasma levels of cortisol, which are considered insufficient to explain signs and symptoms of chronic inflammation. However increased cncentrations of cortisol in liver and fat cells caused by activation of 11Beta HSD-1 by inflamatory diseases may greatly contribute to abnormalities of the metabolic syndrome including obesity, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia , dyslipidemia, increased fat deposit, near inflammed tissues, hypoandrogenaemia, mild hypercortisolemia, anaemia , osteopenia and activation of the sympatetic system related to chronic inflammation.