Association Between Serum Magnesium Level and Metabolic Syndrome Prevalence in Chinese Adults: A Population Study

Abstract

Aims: To assess the relationship between the level of serum magnesium and metabolic syndrome in Chinese adults. Methods: We used data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) conducted in 2009, and conducted investigated a cross-sectional study of 7364 Chinese subjects. A total of 1676 people (659 men and 1067 women) met the criteria of metabolic syndrome. Rank correlation analysis and binary Logistic regression analysis were performed to analyze the influence of serum magnesium concentrations, provinces and gender on the prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Results: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is 22.8%. The concentration of serum magnesium in people with metabolic syndrome is higher than that in healthy groups (0.95 mmol/L vs 0.93 mmol/L, P<0. 001). The serum magnesium concentration and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome are higher in magnesium-rich areas than in non-magnesium-rich ones, with significant differences. (serum magnesium: t = 7.078, P<0. 001; metabolic syndrome: χ2 =46.529, P<0. 001.) The Spearman rank correlation coefficient between serum magnesium level and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome is 0.903 in males, and 0.891 in females. All participants were divided into four groups according to the serum magnesium concentration quartile. The risk of metabolic syndrome increases by 1.595 times (95% CI 1.358-1.873). Conclusion: Higher serum magnesium concentration may be a risk factor for metabolic syndrome. Serum magnesium concentration is moderately and even highly correlated with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome, and there is a gender difference in this relation.