This is one of the earliest reports from Asia showing that, compared to Caucasians, Chinese living a relatively affluent lifestyle are at increased risk of cardiovascular factors at a substantially lower body mass index and waist circumference. These findings have been replicated in a large number of Asian populations. They also played a role in the International Diabetes Federation’s decision to introduce a global definition of metabolic syndrome that stresses the importance of abdominal obesity and ethnicity in assessing cardiovascular risk.