ObjectiveTo study the characteristics in negative energy balance in different-aged patients with metabolic syndrome (MS) and come out with nursing countermeasures.Methods Twenty-four hour dietary data reviewing and the international physical activity questionnaire were used to investigate energy intake and consumption among 384 MS patients.The fat content,fat percentage and lean body mass were measured by the human body composition analyzer.Body mass index (BMI),waist/height,fat percentage,lean body mass,energy intake and energy consumption were compared between different ages and sexes.Results In the group aged over 51 years,the waist/height of female MS patients was significantly smaller than their male counterparts (P<0.05).For all groups of different ages,the percentage of fat in the female patients was significantly larger,their lean body mass was less(P<0.01), their intake of energy was significantly lower than that of the males (P<0.05).The intake of energy among the male patients at the group aged 21~30was significantly larger than the males of other age groups and so it was with the energy intake of the males aged 21-70 years as compared to the males aged 71~80 years (P<0.05).Conclusion Education on disease knowledge should be strengthened among healthy people so as to realize the negative energy balance based on the rate of waist/height,body composition,energy intake and energy consumption,which is of great significance for the prevention and control of metabolic syndromes.