Secular trends in the prevalence of low risk factor burden for cardiovascular disease according to obesity status among Chinese adults, 1993–2009

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and obesity are now common among Chinese. We aimed to examine secular trends in the prevalence of low risk profile and to examine whether comparable changes in the prevalence of low risk profile across waist circumference (WC) groups and body mass index (BMI) categories have occurred. METHODS: We used data from the nationwide China Health and Nutrition Survey conducted in 1993, 1997, 2000, 2004, 2006, and 2009. There were 7274, 8368, 9369, 8948, 8786, and 9278 participants included in the analyses across the six study periods. We created an index of low risk factor burden from the following variables: not currently smoking, BMI < 25 kg/m(2), WC < 90/80 cm in men/women, untreated systolic/diastolic blood pressure < 120/80 mmHg, and not having been previously diagnosed with diabetes. RESULTS: During the period of 1993–2009, the age-adjusted prevalence of low risk profile decreased from 16.2 to 11.5% among men and from 46.3 to 34.6% among women (both P < 0.001); Similar significant trends were observed in all age groups, rural/urban settings, education groups, WC status and BMI categories. The change in the prevalence of low risk profile was more striking among obese persons (P for interaction terms cohort *BMI were < 0.001). In 2009, 2.0 and 25.6% among central obese men and women had a low risk profile; Of note, was that 0.1 and 0.3% general obese men and women had a low risk profile. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of low risk profile declined considerably over the past 17 years in all demographic groups, WC status, and BMI categories. Public health prevention strategies are urgently needed. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2458-14-961) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.