Objective  To investigate the prevalence and influencing factors of abnormal blood glucose among physical examinees aged ≥ 40 years in China for providing evidence to diabetes prevention and control.

  Methods  Questionnaire interview and fasting blood glucose (FBG) detection were conducted among 3 739 physical examinees aged ≥ 40 years at 24 township hospitals/community health centers in five provincial-level administrative divisions (Tianjin and Chongqing municipality, Shandong and Guizhou province and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region) during July – December, 2021.

  Results  Abnormal FBG was detected in 820 (21.91%) of the participants and there was no significant difference in the detection rate of abnormal FBG between male and female participants (22.19% vs. 21.67%, χ² = 0.148; P = 0.701). The results of logistic regression analysis showed that for all the participants, aged ≥ 60 years (except for the males), married (except for the males), with family diabetes history, hypertension, overweight and obesity were risk factors but with the education level of junior college and above and residing in southern regions were protective factors of abnormal FBG; smoking was a risk factor of abnormal FBG only for female participants.

  Conclusion  The detection rate of abnormal FBG is relatively high and mainly influenced by age, education, marital status, residential region, family history of diabetes, hypertension and body mass index in physical examinees aged ≥ 40 years in five municipalities/provinces of China.