The Epidemiological Study Of Metabolic Syndrome And Its Risk Foctors In A Rural Area Of Southern Jiangsu Province, China

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a constellation of interrelated abnormalities including central obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension and atherogenic dyslipidemia, and associated with increased risks of type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases (CVD), especially among older people. Although the pathogenesis of MS has not been fully demonstrated, the underlying risk factors are considered as atherogenic diet, physical inactivity, hormonal imbalance, aging and also genetic factors. Along with the westernization of lifestyle, the prevalence of MS is increasing in recent decades in China, but limited information is available about the prevalences of MS and its risk foctors, especially in a rural area.Objective: To examine the prevalences of MS and its risk foctors in a rural Chinese population, and to explore the relationships of the risk foctors.Research Methods: This population-based cross-sectional survey included 12,598 subjects (5269 men and 7329 women) aged 35-64 years from the suburb of Changzhou city, Jiangsu province, China, and it was conducted between June, 2004 to September, 2005. The prevalence of MS was examined using the criteria of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the CDS (Chinese Medical Association Diabetes Society).Results: The age-standardized prevalence of hypertension was 25.4%, and that of elevated fasting plasma glucose, elevated total cholesterol, elevated triglycerides, low HDLC for IDF criteria, low HDLC for CDS criteria was 5.6%, 8.5%, 22.9%, 22.1% and 8.0%, respectively. The age-standardized prevalence of abdominal obesity (defined as waist circumference≥90 cm in men and≥80 cm in women) and BMI≥25.0 was 32.4% and 28.7%, respectively. The age-standardized prevalence of MS defined by IDF criteria was 14.1%, and that defined by CDS criteria was 9.2%, respectively. Generally speaking, the prevalences of metabolic abnormalities in women were higher than in men, and they increased with age (low HDLC was excluded). The most familiar composing of metabolic abnormalities was obesity, dyslipidemia and hypertension, when CDS definition was used.Conclusion: IDF criteria identified about 5% more MS people than CDS definition because of the difference between criterias of obesity. The high prevalence of MS and its risk foctors in this Chinese rural population indicates an urgent need for intervention. Ameliorating dietetic habit, stoping smoking and restricting drinking should be considered at first.