Li W, Song F, Wang X, et al. - Via a population-based, cross-sectional study of a nationally representative sample of 109,551 Chinese adults aged ≥ 40 years in 2014–2015, experts evaluated the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components and cardiovascular disease (CVD) according to various criteria of MetS, as well as whether the predicted correlation between MetS and CVD was influenced by varying definitions of MetS among the Chinese population. Raised blood pressures were all highly correlated to the prevalence of stroke and atrial fibrillation, and diminished high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol was related to a greater OR for CHD vs other individual components of MetS. Thus, MetS was concluded to be significantly related to CVD, and when MetS was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criterion, the prevalence of CVD was more obvious. Moreover, to decrease the burden of CVD in China, developing efficient public health approaches for the prevention, detection, and treatment of MetS should be an essential priority.