Search

Background: Prevention and control of cardiometabolic conditions and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in China may contribute to sustainable CVD reduction globally, given the fact that one-fifth of the worldwide population is in China. Knowing the distribution of behavioral risk factors (e.g., smoking and physical inactivity), especially at a national level in China, would be extremely relevant to the field of public health and CVD prevention. The objectives of this study were to investigate the nationwide prevalence of obesity, smoking, heavy drinking, and physical inactivity in Chinese adults, and further explore whether cardiometabolic conditions would modify the distribution of behavioral risk factors.Methods: This population-based study is based on the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011-2012), including 17,302 adults (≥45 years, mean age 59.67 years, female 51.66%) from 25 provinces in China. Data on demographics, lifestyle factors, health status and history of diseases were collected via structured interviews and laboratory tests. Smoking, heavy drinking, obesity, and physical inactivity were defined following standard guidelines. We performed descriptive analysis and logistic regressions in this study.Results: The overall prevalence of heavy drinking, obesity, current smoking, and physical inactivity among middle-aged and older adults was 7.23% (95% confidence interval 6.53-7.29%), 11.53% (10.43-12.62%), 27.46% (26.30-28.62%), and 44.06% (41.19-46.92%), respectively. The prevalence varied between rural and urban areas as well as among geographic areas, with higher prevalence in the Northern and Northeastern regions. Heavy drinking and obesity were significantly associated with incident hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol; while current smoking was significantly associated with incident hypertension. Compared with healthy individuals, participants who self-reported a diagnosis of hypertension, high cholesterol, or diabetes were less likely to smoke currently and drink alcohol heavily, but more likely to be physically inactive and obese.Conclusions: Among Chinese middle-aged and older adults, the prevalence of behavioral risk factors varies by geographic region. Further effort is required to improve physical activity and fitness for Chinese adults, especially those with cardiometabolic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the association between soil selenium levels and the risk of diabetes in Chinese adults aged 35–74 years. Data for this study were derived from the China Chronic Diseases and Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance 2010 survey. Selenium concentrations in soil were obtained from the Atlas of Soil Environmental Background Values in China. A two-level binary logistic regression model was used to determine the association between soil selenium concentrations and the risk of diabetes, with participants nested within districts/counties. A total of 69,332 participants aged 35–74 years, from 158 districts/counties were included in the analysis. Concentrations of selenium in soil varied greatly across the 158 districts/counties, with a median concentration of 0.219 mg/kg (IQR : 0.185–0.248). The results showed that both Quartile 1 (0.119–0.185 mg/kg) and Quartile 4 (0.249–0.344 mg/kg) groups were positively associated with diabetes compared to a soil selenium concentration of 0.186–0.219 mg/kg (Quartile 2), crude odds ratios (OR s) (95% CI) were 1.227 (1.003–1.502) and 1.280 (1.048–1.563). The P values were 0.045 and 0.013, for Quartile 1 and Quartile 4 groups, respectively. After adjusting for all confounding factors of interest, the Quartile 1 group became non-significant, and the Quartile 4 group had an adjusted OR (95% CI) of 1.203 (1.018–1.421) relative to the reference group (Quartile 2), the P values was 0.030. No significant results were seen for the Quartile 3 group (0.220–0.248 mg/kg) compared to the reference group. Excessive selenium concentrations in soil could increase the risk of diabetes among Chinese adults aged 35–74 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic non-communicable diseases constitute an important public health problem that is closely related to behavioral risk factors. The study examined the prevalence, burden, and behavioral risk factors relevant to four major chronic diseases in Shanxi Province, China. The results obtained could provide a basis for the formulation of chronic disease prevention and control strategies in north China., Methods: A multi-stage random sampling method was used to select 14,137 residents aged ≥15 years who completed a questionnaire survey and physical examination. The disease burden was evaluated using the disability-adjusted life years (DALY) index. The extent of disease burden attributable to smoking and drinking behavior was analyzed using counterfactual analysis., Results: The total DALYs due to the four major chronic diseases was 938,100. The years of life lost due to stroke accounted for 74.86%; the years of life lived with disabilities accounted for 54.0 and 68.1% of the total disease burden of coronary heart disease and diabetes. Coronary heart disease attributed to smoking (105,600) was the highest, followed by stroke (77,200), hypertension (6,000), and diabetes mellitus (5,900). Stroke attributed to drinking (30,700) was the highest followed by coronary heart disease (16,700) and diabetes (1,100). The disease burden caused by smoking and drinking was higher in men (164,000 and 40,700, respectively) than in women (30,700 and 7,300, respectively)., Conclusion: There is a high prevalence and significant burden associated with major chronic diseases in Shanxi Province. Therefore, the need for the application of various interventions to control smoking and drinking (the major predisposing factors) should be applied to reduce this burden., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 He, La, Yan, Wang, Cao, Cai, Li, Qin and Feng.)

This cross-sectional study describes the baseline prevalence and correlates of common bacterial and viral sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and risk behaviors among individuals at high risk for HIV recruited in five low- and middle-income countries. Correlations of risk behaviors and demographic factors with prevalent STDs and the association of STDs with HIV prevalence are examined. Between 2,212 and 5,543 participants were recruited in each of five countries (China, India, Peru, Russia, and Zimbabwe). Standard protocols were used to collect behavioral risk information and biological samples for STD testing. Risk factors for HIV/STD prevalence were evaluated using logistic regression models. STD prevalence was significantly higher for women than men in all countries, and the most prevalent STD was Herpes simplex virus-type 2 (HSV-2). HIV prevalence was generally low (below 5%) except in Zimbabwe (30% among women, 11.7% among men). Prevalence of bacterial STDs was generally low (below 5% for gonorrhea and under 7% for syphilis in all sites), with the exception of syphilis among female sex workers in India. Behavioral and demographic risks for STDs varied widely across the five study sites. Common risks for STDs included female gender, increasing number of recent sex partners, and in some sites, older age, particularly for chronic STDs (i.e., HSV-2 and HIV). Prevalence of HIV was not associated with STDs except in Zimbabwe, which showed a modest correlation between HIV and HSV-2 prevalence (Pearson coefficient = .55). These findings underscore the heterogeneity of global STD and HIV epidemics and suggest that local, focused interventions are needed to achieve significant declines in these infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]