title: Cohort profile: the Fangshan Cohort Study of cardiovascular epidemiology in Beijing, China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Urbanizing rural areas in China face a rapidly growing cardiovascular disease burden. Epidemiologic studies and effective preventive strategies are urgently needed.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Fangshan Cohort Study is a prospective study that began in 2008 and targets local residents aged 40 years or older living in 3 towns in the Fangshan district of Beijing. The baseline examination included a questionnaire on medical history, health knowledge, and behaviors related to cardiovascular disease, as well as physical and blood biochemical examinations. The questionnaire survey will be readministered every 2 years. A system for surveillance of mortality and morbidity of cardiovascular disease is under development.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 20 115 adults (6710 men and 13 405 women) were investigated at baseline (participation rate = 84.5%). The data indicate that overweight/obesity is a serious public health issue in Fangshan: average body mass index was 25.4 kg/m(2) among men and 26.5 kg/m(2) among women, and the prevalences of overweight and obesity were 43.6% and 10.3% among men and 47.0% and 17.7% among women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Fangshan Cohort Study will provide data on cardiovascular risk factors and disease profile, which will assist in developing appropriate prevention and control strategies for cardiovascular disease in rural Chinese communities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Peking University Health Science Center.
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Xun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Yiqun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Xueying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Liu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Jinwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jingrong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zongxin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Huidong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dou
authors.forename: Jianjiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Liping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Haitao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Jianguo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yonghua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Hiroyasu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iso
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires