Abstract: Objective To estimate the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome(M S)and its main components in general adult population in Xichang city,Sichuan province.Methods Overall 2130 people above 20 years old were selected withs tratified cluster sampling and investigated in 2007-2008.The MS was defined by the definition proposed by Chinese Society for Diabetes Mellitus in 2004.Results The crude prevalence of MS was slightly higher(8.3%).The age-adjusted preva lence of MS was 7.2%.(8.9% in men and 5.4%in women).The prevalence increased significantly with age in both sexes,and the age of onset was earlier in the menthan in the women.Dyslipidemia was the most common component(37.1%)of the MS among the study population followed by overweight(23.0%),with the prevalence significantly higher in the men than in the women.Conclusion The prevalence of MS in the adults of Xichang city is low.Men and individuals aged over 40 are the main population for MS prevetion.