BackgroundMetabolic risk factors and abnormalities such as obesity and hypertension are rapidly rising among the Chinese population following China’s tremendous economic growth and widespread westernization of lifestyle in recent decades. Limited information is available about the current burden of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in China.MethodsWe analyzed data on metabolic risk factors among 22,457 adults aged ≥ 32 years participating in the “Zhabei Health 2020” survey (2009–2010), a cross-sectional study of a representative sample of community residents in Zhabei District. We defined MetS using Chinese-specific cut-off points for central obesity according to consensus criteria recently endorsed by several international and national organizations in defining MetS in different populations worldwide. We used a multiple logistic regression model to assess the associations of potential risk factors with MetS.ResultsThe unadjusted prevalence of the MetS was 35.1% for men and 32.5% for women according to the consensus criteria for Chinese. The prevalence increased progressively from 12.1% among participants aged 32–45 years to 45.4% among those aged ≥ 75 years. Age, smoking, family history of diabetes, and education are significantly associated with risk of MetS.ConclusionsThe MetS is highly prevalent and has reached epidemic proportion in Chinese urban adult community residents.

Background & aims: To date, the prevalence of Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in China was 17.5%. Given the substantial relevance of GDM for medium-and long-term health of both mother and offspring and the paucity of existing data on the link between maternal diet and glucose homeostasis during pregnancy in Asian population, additional studies are needed. To examine the relevance of dietary glycemic index (GI), glycemic load (GL) and fiber intake before and during pregnancy for the development of GDM and glucose homeostasis over the course of pregnancy. Methods: Cox proportional hazards analysis and linear mixed effects regressions were performed on data from 9317 women for whom three food frequency questionnaires (pre-pregnancy, 1 st and 2 nd trimesters) and biochemical measures during pregnancy were available. Investigated outcome variables included GDM risk, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA 1C ), and homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters. Results: Women in the highest tertile of dietary GI (or GL) before pregnancy, in the 1 st , or the 2 nd trimester respectively had a 12% (15%), 25% (23%) or 29% (25%) higher risk of developing GDM than those in the lowest tertile (all p for trend 0.02). Women with the highest dietary fiber intake before pregnancy, in the 1st or 2nd trimester had a 11%, 17% or 18% lower GDM risk (all p for trend 0.03). Moreover, increases in GI or GL and decreases in fiber intake over the course of pregnancy (1 st to 3 rd trimesters) were independently associated with adverse concurrent developments in FPG, HbA 1C and HOMA-IR (p 0.03). Conclusions: Our study indicates that dietary GI, GL and fiber intake before and during pregnancy affects glucose homeostasis of pregnant Chinese women.

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Although the association is modest, television watching is inversely related to telomere length among Chinese adults, warranting further investigation in large prospective studies.