BACKGROUND: To explore the feasibility and efficiency of community-based integrated traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine metabolic syndrome (MS) intervention in rural residents.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The MS intervention was administered to 598 rural community residents aged 45 years and older in Zhoushi from 2011 to 2013. Subjects completed a health examination and health behavior questionnaire before and after the intervention. In the intervention, we designed a “healthy life self-help program” using TCM appropriate technologies for the subjects.

RESULTS: After 2 years of intervention by means of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine, 57.0% (341 persons) of the subjects no longer suffered from MS. The recovery rate of BMI, blood pressure, FBG, TG, and HDL-C were 22.1%, 40.5%, 37.9%, 32.8%, and 62.4%, respectively. There were statistically significant differences in exercise, smoking, and alcohol drinking between baseline and 2 years later.

CONCLUSIONS: The integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine MS intervention was effective in deceasing most of the parameters of MS, especially blood pressure, and helping people to do more exercise. The program would be useful to implement in other similar populations.

Keywords: Body Weights and Measures, Medicine, Chinese Traditional - methods, Metabolic Syndrome X - therapy, Rural Population, Surveys and Questionnaires