Objective To analyze of the correlation between smoking behavior and prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) among male residents aged 35 to 75 years in Hubei province.

Methods We extracted surveillance data on 23 453 residents aged 35 – 75 years collected between 2015 – 2016 in 2 urban and 4 rural regions of Hubei province covered by national project for screening and comprehensive intervention in populations at high CVD risk. One-way analysis of variance and correlation trend test were adopted to explore the association of smoking behavior with the prevalence of CVD risk factors among the participants.

Results The rural participants had a higher proportion (28.07%) of heavy smoking than the urban residents and the participants aged 45 – 54 years had the highest proportion (31.31%) of heavy smoking. A reverse correlation between education level and heavy smoking was observed and the proportion of heavy smoking was 29.37% among the illiterate participants. Among the participants, the means of body mass index, waist circumference, fasting blood glucose, and average systolic pressure were lower in regular smokers than in the never smokers and all the means were higher in ex-smokers than in never smokers significantly (P < 0.05). The average total cholesterol (TC) of the never smokers was statistically different from that of other participants (P < 0.05). No significant linear correlation between TC and number of years of smoking cessation was observed among the ex-smokers (P > 0.05).

Conclusion Smoking and smoking cessation have bidirectional effects on body mass index, waist circumference, fasting blood glucose, and mean systolic blood pressure and smoking cessation has over-correction effect on the four indicators. Smoking induced variation in total cholesterol level may be irreversible.