Highly Prevalent and Poorly Controlled Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among Chinese Elderly People Living in the Rural Community

Background: The epidemiological scenario of cardiovascular risk factors (CRFs) among elderly people in rural China is unclear. We seek to describe the distribution, burden and management of major CRFs among older Chinese people living in the rural community.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1538 participants in the Confucius Hometown Aging Project (2010-2011) of people ≥60 years of age (mean age 68.6 years; 59.1% women) who lived in a rural community nearby Qufu, Shandong, China. Data were collected through a face-to-face interview, a clinical examination and laboratory tests. We carried out descriptive analysis on the prevalence and management of major CRFs.

Results: The overall prevalence of current smoking, physical inactivity, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity were 13.8%, 83.7%, 76.0%, 26.6%, 42.4% and 13.1%, respectively: 82.8% and 50.4% of participants had ≥ 2 and ≥ 3, respectively, of the six CRFs. Prevalence of alcohol consumption was 18.7%. Men were more likely to smoke and consume alcohol than women, whereas women were more likely to be obese and physically inactive than men (p < 0.001). Prevalence of physical inactivity and hypertension increased with age, prevalence of alcohol intake and obesity decreased with age, and prevalence of smoking and diabetes was stable. Hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol were treated in 60.6%, 68.1% and 41.1% of those with the disease, respectively, but only 11.3%, 13.7% and 31.7% achieved good control.

Conclusions: CRFs are highly prevalent and poorly controlled among elderly people in rural China, where men and women have different CRF profiles. Intervention programs targeting major CRFs may improve the health of older people in China.