Epidemiological investigation of metabolic syndrome and analysis of relevant factors in north-eastern China.

This epidemiological study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and associated risk factors in Chinese subjects from Dehui in north-eastern China. Using a random sampling method, a questionnaire was completed by 3785 permanent residents aged 18 - 72 years and relevant clinical data were collected from each subject. Binary multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors that were significantly associated with metabolic syndrome. Based on the International Diabetes Federation definition, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 22.4%, which is higher than that of the general Chinese population. Metabolic syndrome occurred more frequently in females and the prevalence gradually increased with age. Living in an urban setting and being female, > 50 years old, overweight, having total cholesterol > or = 5.18 mmol/l, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol > or = 3.1 mmol/l, and a fatty liver were significant risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome.