OBJECTIVETo analyze the serum total cholesterol level and the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia and borderline high cholesterolemia among urban-resident adults in China from 2010 to 2012.

METHODSData were from Chinese Nutrition and Health Surveillance in 2010-2012. Multi-stage stratified proportion to the population cluster random sampling method was conducted to determine 54 042 adult residents in 34 big cities and 41 small and medium-sized cities. Serum total cholesterol was measured by cholesterol oxidase method. Hypercholesterolemia and borderline high cholesterolemia were evaluated by Guidelines on Prevention and Treatment of Blood Lipid Abnormality in Chinese Adults 2007 edition. Standardized cholesterol level (x ± Sx) and prevalence of hypercholesterolemia and borderline high cholesterolemia were calculated through weighted complex sampling processing by population data released by the National Bureau of Statistics in 2009.

RESULTSThe mean level of urban-resident adults's erum total cholesterol was (4.58 ± 0.05)mmol/L, (4.58 ± 0.05)mmol/L for both male and female. The cholesterol concentration level in big cities and small and medium-sized cities were (4.66 ± 0.04)mmol/L and (4.57 ± 0.06) mmol/L, respectively. It increased with age gradually from the minimum level, which was (4.18 ± 0.05)mmol/L in aged 18 to 29 group, till reached the maximum, which was (4.94 ± 0.05)mmol/L in aged 60 to 69 group, and then it declined to (4.92 ± 0.06)mmol/L in aged 70 group. The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia and borderline high cholesterolemia were 5.6%(95%CI:4.5%-6.6%) and 24.7%(95%CI:21.6%-27.9%) totally; 5.1% (95%CI:4.1%-6.1%) and 24.4% (95%CI:21.0%-27.6%) for male, 6.0% (95%CI:4.7%-7.3%) and 25.1%(95%CI:21.8%-28.4%) for female; 6.0%(95%CI: 5.0%-7.0%) and 27.7%(95%CI:24.9%-30.6%) in big cities, while 5.5%(95%CI: 4.2%-6.7%) and 24.2%(95%CI:20.5%-27.9%) in small and medium-sized cities. The minimum prevalence of hypercholesterolemia was in aged 18 to 29 group and maximum in aged 70 group, which were 2.2%(95%CI: 1.4%-3.0%) and 10.3%(95%CI: 7.1%-13.4%), respectively; while the lowest borderline high cholesterolemia prevalence was in aged 18 to 29 group and the highest in aged 60 to 69 year group, which were 12.9%(95%CI: 10.4%-15.4%) and 37.6% (95%CI: 33.6%-41.6%), respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe serum total cholesterol level and the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia and borderline high cholesterolemia were high among urban adults in China from 2010 to 2012, and more attention should be paid for high serum total cholesterol level among older adults.