As part of the Isfahan Healthy Heart Program, we evaluated the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors in Iranians with generalized and abdominal obesity. We carried out a crosssectional study on 3694 participants aged ≥ 19 years. Overall, 36.6% of men and 35.9% of women were overweight; 11.2% of men and 28.1% of women were obese. Mean body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and waist/hip ratio (WHR) increased with age up to 65 years. Total serum cholesterol, triglycerides and 2-hour post-load plasma glucose increased with BMI, WC and WHR in both sexes. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 19.8% in females with normal BMI, 48.1% in overweight females and 63.2% in obese females. In males, corresponding values were 3.7%, 18.0% and 40.1%.