Current status of major cardiovascular risk factors in Chinese populations and their trends in the past two decades

Objective To evaluate quantitatively the current status of major cardiovascular risk factors in different populations of China and their secular trends in the past 2 decades. Methods In autumn of 1998,with international standardized examination and measurement, cross sectional sampling surveys were conducted in 15 research populations including southern and northern, urban and rural, residents, manual workers, farmers and fishermen in different parts of China. 15?395 participants, aged from 35 to 59 years, about 1?000 for each group, were recruited, half of them are males. Prevalences of major CVD risk factors were standardized to the WHO world standard population. Comparison were made for 9 population samples with comparable data in the early of 1980s and 1990s to observe the secular trends in the past 2 decades. Results The current status of major risk factors showed the following characteristics: (1)the prevalence differed greatly between population samples for all risk factors; (2)the prevalence of hypertension was generally higher in the north than in the south, higher in urban than in rural, and higher in male than in female, and was over 40 % for some populations; (3) The difference in prevalence of dislipidemia was dominant between populations in the areas with well developed and relatively undeveloped economy; and for some populations the prevalence was over 30%; (4) prevalence of overweight was significantly higher in the north than in the south, and higher in populations in the area with well developed economy than that in the area with relatively undeveloped economy, and was over 50% for some populations; (5) Smoking and alcohol drinking were still a behavior of male. The comparable data from 9 populations showed that in the past 2 decades there were great changes in all CVD risk factors. Prevalence of overweight and hypercholesterolemia increased steadily and significantly, by 137% and 88% for male and by 95% and 65% for female, respectively. Prevalence of hypertension increased 43% for male and 36% for female from early 1980s to early 1990s. Prevalence of alcohol drinking in male increased by 10%. Prevalence of smoking decreased significantly, but was still over 60% in male. Conclusion The current status and trends in CVD risk factors in the middle aged Chinese population suggests that the incidence of cardiovascular diseases will be increasing in China in the early 21st century, if CVD prevention and control are not reinforced.