Aim To examine the association of adiponectin with metabolic syndrome (MS) and related cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in Chinese adolescents.Methods This was a cross-sectional study including 933 adolescents. All participants underwent anthropometric and biochemical examinations. Adiponectin was measured using ELISA. The association of adiponectin with CVD risk factors and the presence of metabolic syndrome were evaluated. MS was defined with the International diabetes federation (IDF) 2007 definition specific for children and adolescents. Of the 933 subjects,the data of 907 ones were complete and entered the statistic analysis.Results With the reducing adiponectin,waist circumference (WC),body mass index (BMI),triglyceride (TG),hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c),fasting plasma insulin (FINS) and the homeostasis assessment model of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were increased (all P<0.05). Adiponectin was significantly correlated with WC,BMI,diastolic blood pressure (DBP),TG,total cholesterol (TC) and HbA1c (all P<0.05). Adiponectin showed independent association with MS (OR5.83，95% CI 1.98-17.18) and the most closely correlated component was central obesity (OR3.48，95%CI 1.84～6.59)and lower high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC,OR1.57，95%CI 1.09～2.26).Conclusions Adiponectin was independently associated with the presence of MS and related multiple CVD risk factors in Chinese adolescents.