Geographic and occupational comparisons of risk factors in cardiovascular diseases in Japan.

Abstract

Several risk factors in cardiovascular diseases, incidence rates of cerebrovascular diseases and coronary heart diseases, and dietary intake were compared among geographically, occupationally different 6 groups. The risk factors evaluated in this study are blood pressure levels, ECG findings, ocular fundus findings, relative body weight, and serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Following results were obtained. 1) Factors elevating blood pressure seem to differ geographically or occupationally. 2) Hypertension, which is frequent in traditional rural areas, has little association with obesity or abnormal lipid metabolism, and it tends to develop into cerebral apoplexy. 3) In the special groups of men in urban areas, there exists relationship between obesity and hypertension, and the incidence of apoplexy is relatively low, but the incidence of coronary heart diseases is highest in all groups examined.