Objective  To explore main influencing factors of diabetes mellitus in Chinese population and to provide references for the prevention and control of the disease.

  Methods  We searched Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database and Weipu Chinese Science Database and Technology Periodical Database (VIP), China Biomedical Database (CBM), PubMed, Cochrane Library Database, Web of Science Database to collect literatures on factors influencing the diabetes in Chinese population published from January 2008 to November 2018. RevMan 5.3 software was used to perform a meta-analysis.

  Results  Finally, 26 literatures (19 in Chinese and 7 in English) were included in the analysis. Totally 211 036 people were surveyed and 20 701 diabetes patients identified, with an overall prevalence rate of 9.81%. The meta analysis results revealed following significant risk factors for diabetes mellitus: aged 31 – 45 years (odds ratio OR = 3.13, 95% confidence interval 95% CI: 1.97 – 4.97), aged 46 – 60 years (OR = 4.93, 95% CI: 3.21 – 6.34), aged > 60 years (OR = 14.77, 95% CI: 11.81 – 18.47), overweight (OR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.66 – 1.93), obesity (OR = 3.29, 95% CI: 2.87 – 3.77), central obesity (OR = 3.29, 95% CI: 2.87 – 3.77), high blood pressure (OR = 3.01, 95% CI: 2.50 – 3.62), dyslipidemia (OR = 2.32, 95% CI: 1.56 – 3.45), abnormal cholesterol (OR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.54 – 2.79), abnormal triglycerides (OR = 2.81, 95% CI: 2.33 – 3.40), family history of diabetes (OR = 2.48, 95% CI: 2.41 – 2.55), and preference for salty diet (OR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.10 – 1.80); the analysis also demonstrated that living in rural areas (OR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.69 – 0.92), moderate alcohol drinking (OR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.79 – 0.88), having physical exercise frequently (OR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.61 – 0.72), more fruit consumption (OR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.46 – 0.59), and vegetable consumption (OR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.45 – 0.58) are protective factors against diabetes among Chinese population.

  Conclusion  Age, body mass index, residential region, family history of diabetes, dietary habit, alcohol drinking, physical exercise, consumption of fruits and vegetables, and whether suffering from central obesity, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, abnormal cholesterol and triglycerides are main influencing factors of diabetes mellitus in Chinese population.