DIABETES/METABOLISM RESEARCH AND REVIEWS RESEARCH ARTICLE Diabetes Metab Res Rev 2006; 22: 72–78. Published online 15 July 2005 in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI: 10.1002/dmrr.581 Age-related anthropometric remodelling resulting in increased and redistributed adiposity is associated with increases in the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in Chinese subjects G. Neil Thomas 1 * Brian Tomlinson 2 Athena W. L. Hong 2 Stanley S. C. Hui 3 1 Department of Community Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR 2 Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong 3 Department of Sports Science and Physical Education, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong *Correspondence to: G. Neil Thomas, Department of Community Medicine, 5/F Academic and Administration Block, Faculty of Medicine Building, University of Hong Kong, 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR. E-mail: gneilthomas@yahoo.co.uk Received: 10 February 2005 Revised: 25 May 2005 Accepted: 30 May 2005 Abstract Background Ageing promotes increases in the prevalence of components of the metabolic syndrome, which obesity often underlies. Methods We report the relationship between ageing, obesity and other cardiovascular risk factors in 694 community-based Chinese subjects in gender-specific groups of three age ranges: 20.0–39.9 (young), 40.0–59.9 (middle-aged) and 60.0–79.9 (old-aged) years. Results Body mass index (BMI) values were similar in males in each age group, but waist and percentage body fat increased (6.6, and 39.5%, both p < 0.001, respectively), from young to old-age groups, as did blood pressure and glycated haemoglobin levels (all p < 0.001). In the females, increases (all p < 0.001) in percentage body fat (29.3%) were accompanied by greater increases in BMI (10.3%) and waist (19.2%) than the males. Blood pressure, glycated haemoglobin, total and LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels increased linearly with age (all p < 0.001). Conclusion Age-related increases in central adiposity and percentage body fat were associated with increasingly adverse cardiovascular risk factor profiles. Copyright  2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Keywords ageing; body fat; cardiovascular risk factors; hypertension; metabolic syndrome; type 2 diabetes Introduction Hypertension, dyslipidaemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity are often found together in the same individuals [1 – 4]. The clustering of these disorders is commonly termed the metabolic syndrome. In recent years, in response to changing lifestyles, as Asian countries such as Hong Kong modernize, increases in calorie intake, particularly as high-fat foods, and a concomitant reduction in physical activity have led to rapid increases in the prevalence of the components of the metabolic syndrome [3,5]. Ageing and obesity are closely associated with the many facets of this syndrome [4–8]. In the older population (65 to 74 years) of Hong Kong, 53% have hypertension and 26% have diabetes, 63.2% have dyslipidaemia and 52.6% have obesity [9]. Despite the high prevalence of metabolic abnormalities, the prevalence Copyright  2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.