Objective To investigate the accumulation of arsenic and heavy metals and to better understand the health risks associated with chemicals in vegetables from China. Methods Statistical characteristics of the concentrations of six elements, i.e., Cu, Pb, Cd, Cr, As and Hg, in vegetables from some areas of China were investigated, and their health risks were assessed using the hazard model recommended by US Environmental Protection Agency, based on the available information regarding the concentrations of arsenic and heavy metals reported in published literatures. Results The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test indicated that all the six elements in three types of vegetables had skewed concentration distributions. And the coefficients of variation of element concentrations are less than 10%. The contents of Cd, As and Hg were significantly different (P<0.05) among rhizome vegetables, leafy vegetables and eggplant vegetables. The contents of Pb and Cr were significantly different (P<0.05) among leafy vegetables and eggplant vegetables. No significant differences (P>0.05) were observed for Cu. The contents of Pb, As and Hg in rhizome and Cd concentration in leafy vegetables were relatively higher, respectively. The linear correlation of Pb-Cd in rhizomes and leafy vegetables were all stronger (P<0.01). The linear correlation of Pb-Cr was stronger in rhizomes vegetables (P<0.01). The pollution indexes showed that the levels of Cu, Cd, Cr and As in three types of vegetables were within the limits of safety. But the levels of Pb and Hg in rhizome vegetables and leafy vegetables belong to slight pollution. The non-carcinogenic risk levels from exposure to arsenic and metals (including Cu, Pb, Cd, Cr and Hg) were separately acceptable in rhizome vegetables and eggplant vegetables. However, health risk assessment indicated that the hazard quotients of Pb in leafy vegetables were 1.780 and 2.020 for adult and children at the 95th percentile, respectively. This indicated that the lead in leafy vegetables had a potentially non-carcinogenic risk via food exposure. Conclusion The pollution of arsenic, copper, mercury, chromium and cadmium in vegetables in China were generally low, but the lead pollution in leaf vegetables should be of concern.