Coexistence of anaemia and the metabolic syndrome in adults in Jiangsu, China

Objective: To determine the prevalence of anaemia and the metabolic syndrome with special interest in the coexistence of these two problems as well as the possible links. Research design and method: In a cross-sectional household survey, 1294 men and 1522 women aged 20 years and above were interviewed; anthropometric measurements and blood samples were taken. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to IDF 2005 standard. Anaemia was defined as haemoglobin level below 13 g/dL for men and 12 g/dL for women. Results: The ageadjusted prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 11.2% and of anaemia 24.4%. About 3 percent of the participants had both anaemia and metabolic syndrome. Women had a higher prevalence of both the metabolic syndrome and anaemia than men (14.0 vs 8.4%, 31.5% vs 16.1%). Anaemia coexisted significantly with all the individual components of the metabolic syndrome. Only 7.0% of the sample had anaemia without any individual component of metabolic syndrome. In women, the prevalence of combined anaemia and metabolic syndrome peaked in the age group 50-59 years (9.9%). Women in the highest quartile of serum ferritin had a higher risk of only the metabolic syndrome and coexistence of anaemia and metabolic syndrome. Conclusion: The high prevalence of the metabolic syndrome and anaemia in the area show the urgent need to develop comprehensive strategies aimed at prevention and treatment. In women this coexistence may be related to inflammation but further research is needed.