Marital Status and Cardiovascular Risk Factors among Middle-aged Japanese Male Workers: The High-risk and Population Strategy for Occupational Health Promotion (HIPOP-OHP) Study

Yuko Kamon; Tomonori Okamura; Taichiro Tanaka; Atsushi Hozawa; Zentaro Yamagata; Toru Takebayashi; Yukinori Kusaka; Sumio Urano; Hideaki Nakagawa; Takashi Kadowaki; Yuji Miyoshi; Hiroshi Yamato; Akira Okayama; Hirotsugu Ueshima; the HIPOP-OHP Research Group

doi:10.1539/joh.L7158

Original

Marital Status and Cardiovascular Risk Factors among Middle-aged Japanese Male Workers: The High-risk and Population Strategy for Occupational Health Promotion (HIPOP-OHP) Study

Yuko Kamon, Tomonori Okamura, Taichiro Tanaka, Atsushi Hozawa, Zentaro Yamagata, Toru Takebayashi, Yukinori Kusaka, Sumio Urano, Hideaki Nakagawa, Takashi Kadowaki, Yuji Miyoshi, Hiroshi Yamato, Akira Okayama, Hirotsugu Ueshima, the HIPOP-OHP Research Group

Author information

Yuko Kamon
Department of Health Science, Shiga University of Medical Science
Tomonori Okamura
Department of Preventive Cardiology, National Cardiovascular Center
Taichiro Tanaka
Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi
Atsushi Hozawa
Department of Health Science, Shiga University of Medical Science
Zentaro Yamagata
Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi
Toru Takebayashi
Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, Keio University
Yukinori Kusaka
Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui
Sumio Urano
Matsushita Health Care Center
Hideaki Nakagawa
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Kanazawa Medical University
Takashi Kadowaki
Department of Health Science, Shiga University of Medical Science
Yuji Miyoshi
Tokyo Central Clinic, Health Insurance Society of Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company
Hiroshi Yamato
Institute of Industrial Ecological Science, University of Occupational and Environmental Health
Akira Okayama
The First Institute of Health Service, Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association
Hirotsugu Ueshima
Department of Health Science, Shiga University of Medical Science
the HIPOP-OHP Research Group
Investigators of the research group are listed in the Appendix

Keywords: Marital status, Hypertension, Hypercholesterolemia, Hyperglycemia, Smoking, Clustering of CVD risk factors, Middle-aged male workers, Japan

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2008 Volume 50 Issue 4 Pages 348-356

DOI https://doi.org/10.1539/joh.L7158

View "Advance Publication" version (June 9, 2008).

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Abstract

Marital status is related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in Western countries. However, few studies have addressed the relationship between marital status and CVD risk factors in other populations. We investigated lifestyle and CVD risk factors relative to marital status among middle-aged Japanese men. We analyzed baseline data of 40-59-yr-old male workers who participated in the high-risk and population strategy for occupational health promotion (HIPOP-OHP) study. We compared lifestyle and CVD risk factors between men who were married (Group M; n=1,419, mean age 47.9 ± 5.1 yr) and those who had never married (Group N; n=163, mean age 46.7 ± 4.3 yr). Men in Group N were more likely to skip breakfast, work more shifts and exercise less. Current smoking rates, as well as average values of diastolic blood pressure (DBP), serum total cholesterol and fasting plasma glucose were also higher in Group N than in Group M. The proportion of participants with three or more CVD risk factors, namely smoking, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and hyperglycemia was higher in Group N, than in Group M (12.9% vs. 5.0%, p<0.01). The difference between Groups M and N was more evident in the subgroup of living with others, than in the subgroup of living alone. Since men who have never married might be at higher risk for CVD, effort should be made to educate this population about decreasing lifestyle-related risk factors.

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