Background: Lifestyle changes are important for the prevention and management of metabolic syndrome (MetS), but studies that focus on gender differences in the lifestyle risk factors of MetS are limited in China. This research aimed to generate a healthy lifestyle index (HLI) to assess the behavioral risk factors of MetS and its components, and to explore the gender differences in HLI score and other influencing factors of MetS. Methods: A convenience sample of 532 outpatients were recruited from a general hospital in Changsha, China. The general information and HLI scores [including physical activity (PA), diet, smoking, alcohol use, and body mass index (BMI)] of the subjects were collected through questionnaires, and each patient’s height, weight, waist circumference, and other physical signs were measured. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors of MetS and its components. Results: The prevalence of MetS was 33.3% for the whole sample (46.3% in males and 23.3% in females). The risk of MetS increased with age, smoking, unhealthy diet, and BMI in males and with age and BMI in females. Our logistic regression analysis showed that lower HLI (male: OR = 0.838,95%CI = 0.757–0.929; female: OR = 0.752, 95%CI = 0.645–0.876) and older age (male: OR = 2.899, 95%CI = 1.446–5.812; female: OR = 4.430, 95%CI = 1.640–11.969) were independent risk factors of MetS, for both sexes. Conclusion: Low levels of HLI and older ages were independent risk factors of MetS in both males and females. The association between aging and MetS risk was stronger in females, while the association between unhealthy lifestyles and MetS risk was stronger in males. Our findings reinforced the expected gender differences in MetS prevalence and its risk factors, which has implications for the future development of gender-specific MetS prevention and intervention programs.

(1) Background: The prevalence of central obesity is growing rapidly among women, and the prevalence differs by menopausal status. Longer sedentary time and less fruit/vegetable (F/V) intake increased the risk of central obesity. Among women of different menopausal statuses, controversy surrounds the association between sedentary time or F/V intake and central obesity. This study aimed to explore whether the independent and joint associations between sedentary time or F/V intake and menopausal status are correlated with central obesity, respectively. (2) Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Hunan, China. Self-reported questionnaires were used to gather information on demographic characteristics, menopausal status, sedentary time, and F/V intake. Waist circumference was measured at the study site. Binary logistic regression and multiple interaction models were used to explore the independent and joint associations of menopausal status and the above two lifestyle variables with central obesity. (3) Results: A total of 387 women with a mean age of 47.7 ± 6.6 years old participated in the study. The prevalence of central obesity was 52.8%. Peri- and post-menopause statuses and not taking five servings of F/V per day were risk factors of central obesity (p < 0.05), whereas no significant association was found between sedentary time and central obesity (p > 0.05). Among peri-menopausal (mutual odds ratio (OR): 2.466, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.984–6.182; p < 0.05) and post-menopausal women (mutual OR: 2.274, 95% CI: 1.046–4.943; p < 0.05), more than 4 h of sedentary time per day was associated with a high risk of central obesity. Among pre-menopausal women, the consumption of five servings of F/V per day was associated with a low risk of central obesity (mutual OR: 0.444, 95%CI: 0.236–0.837, p < 0.05). (4) Conclusions: More than half of women in the central south of China presented with central obesity, spent >4 h of sedentary time per day, or did not engage in recommended F/V intake. Healthier lifestyle intervention is warranted to prevent central obesity development, including reducing the sedentary time to <4 h per day for peri- and post-menopausal women, while increasing taking five servings of F/V per day for pre-menopausal women.

To address the challenges of aging, the Chinese government has introduced the localized concept of “proactive health”, which emphasizes individual responsibility for health, proactive health information seeking, and health-promoting actions. This study aims to identify latent classes of proactive health behaviors and associated factors among middle-aged and older Chinese women using latent class analysis. A serial cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from 4,243 middle-aged and older women who underwent physical examinations at a tertiary hospital in Changsha City, China, between 2017 and 2023. Sociodemographic characteristics, laboratory data, medical history, and proactive health behavior data were extracted from Health Management Center. Latent class analysis was employed to classify proactive health behavioral patterns, followed by multinomial logistic regression to identify factors associated with class membership. Among middle-aged and older women, proactive health behaviors are categorized into three latent classes: Comprehensive Health Practitioners (29.44%), Selective Health Maintainers (54.75%), and High-Risk Behavior Engagers (15.81%). Multivariate logistic regression identified the following factors associated with proactive health behaviors: age, body mass index, education, occupation, family history of diabetes, family history of cardiovascular disease, menopausal status, psychological problems, and self-rated health status. The majority of middle-aged and older Chinese women are categorized as Selective Health Maintainers in terms of proactive health behaviors. In nursing practice, it is essential to develop personalized plans targeting each latent class. Future efforts should focus on enhancing proactive health education for middle-aged and older women, encouraging the adoption of various healthy behaviors to improve health outcomes and facilitate healthy aging. This study offers significant implications for nursing practice by identifying three distinct latent classes of proactive health behaviors among middle-aged and older Chinese women. It aids hospitals and communities in developing personalized intervention measures for this demographic, enhancing health conditions, and actively addressing the challenges of aging. Not applicable.

Background: The atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) is a novel marker associated with the risk of prediabetes, yet its interplay with menopausal status remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between AIP and prediabetes among middle-aged Chinese women, and to explore this association jointly with menopausal status. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included data of 7,929 middle-aged women who underwent physical examinations in a tertiary hospital in Changsha City, China, from 2015 to 2023. Participants’ sociodemographic, physical, and laboratory data were collected from their medical records. The association between AIP and prediabetes was tested using multiple logistic regression models, followed by restricted cubic splines analysis for dose-response relationships. The relationship was further examined through stratified and joint analyses by menopausal status. Results: Among the 7,929 participants, 1,592 (20.08%) were newly diagnosed with prediabetes. After adjusting for confounders, AIP was associated with an increased risk of prediabetes in all women (OR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.30, 1.62), premenopausal women (OR: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.25, 1.83), and postmenopausal women (OR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.26, 1.65), with the relationships being approximately linear. Although the multiplicative interaction was not statistically significant ( P = 0.973), joint analysis revealed that compared to the low AIP-premenopausal reference group, the high AIP-postmenopausal group had the highest prediabetes risk (OR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.31, 1.98). Conclusion: This study demonstrated a positive, linear relationship between AIP and the risk of prediabetes in middle-aged women. When considered jointly, a high AIP combined with postmenopausal status identified a subgroup with the greatest associated risk. AIP shows promise as a simple, cost-effective indicator for identifying high-risk individuals, though its clinical utility requires validation in prospective studies.

Middle-aged women face distinct physiological, psychological, and social challenges during the transition from adulthood to later life. However, their perc