Objective To investigate the discrepancy in risk factors for cardiovascular diseases between young and middle-aged staff in medical institutions and non-medical institutions.Methods From 2016 to 2017, 979 hospital workers who participated in health checkups in the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University were retrospectively analyzed as the medical institutions group, and 51 069 individuals undergoing health checkups from non-medical institutions were included as the non-medical institutions group. Based on age and gender, the two groups were 1:1 matched via propensity score matching. The differences in the detection rates of cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular diseases were compared between the two groups after propensity score matching.Results There was no significant difference in gender composition, age, education level, and levels of fasting blood glucose, triglycerides (TG), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) between the two groups (P > 0.05). The systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), the proportions of individuals with a history of smoking and alcohol consumption, the proportions of individuals lack of exercise, and the levels of total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) were significantly different between the two groups (P < 0.05). There was no difference in the rates of obesity, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia and hyperuricemia (P > 0.05). The rates of hypertension were lower in the medical institutions group than those in the non-medical institutions group (P < 0.05). The multivariable Logistic regression analysis showed that history of alcohol consumption [O^R = 2.433 (95% CI: 1.628, 3.637) ], lack of exercise [O^R = 1.566 (95% CI: 1.102, 2.225) ], high fasting blood glucose [O^R = 1.702 (95% CI: 1.334, 2.171) ], and high TC [O^R = 1.821 (95% CI: 1.295, 2.562) ] were independent risk factors for hypertension in hospital staff. The history of alcohol consumption [O^R = 2.636 (95% CI: 1.853, 3.750) ], high fasting blood glucose [O^R = 1.310 (95% CI: 1.109, 1.546) ], and high TC [O^R = 1.446 (95% CI: 1.093, 1.915) ] were independent risk factors for hypertension in non-hospital staff.Conclusions The cardiovascular risk factors are common among young and middle-aged staff in medical institutions as the non-medical institutions. Thus, it is necessary to strengthen the health awareness among young and middle-aged staff in medical institutions.