Abstract
Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are major causes of death in Japan, and controlling the risk factors for CVD is an important public health task. Lifestyle factors, for example, diet and stress, have impacts on risk factors such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Deterioration of mental health is related to CVD pathogenesis. Aim: We investigated the relationships between levels of mental health, 4-year changes in lifestyle, and CVD risk factors among Japanese workers, using the SF-36 (Japanese version), which is a comprehensive scale measuring health-related quality of life. We hypothesized that workers’ mental health levels would influence 4-year changes in their lifestyles and CVD risk factors. Methods: Data from the High-Risk and Population Strategy for Occupational Health Promotion (HIPOP-OHP) study, which were collected by examination and administration of the SF-36, were used. The relationships between mental health levels at baseline, lifestyle chan- ges, and cardiovascular risk factors were longitudinally analyzed. Subjects with total SF-36 scores ≥65 were classified as the “Good Mental Health Group,” and those with total scores <65 were classified as the “Poor Mental Health Group.” Results: Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that, as compared to people who had poor mental health, those who had good mental health at baseline had a significantly higher probability of good maintenance of improvements in body mass index, (OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.03 - 1.39), blood pressure (OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.01 - 1.43), total cholesterol (OR = 1.07, 95% CI: 0.86 - 1.33) and HDL cholesterol (OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.07 - 1.47). Conclusion: Japanese workers with good mental health tend to improve or maintain good lifestyle conditions and minimize CVD risk factors, while those with poor mental health generally have difficulty improving their lifestyles and lowering their CVD risk.
Highlights
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including cerebrovascular diseases and coronary artery disease, are major causes of death in Japan [1,2], and controlling the risk factors for CVD is an important task for public health
This study aims to investigate the relationships between mental health levels, 4-year changes in lifestyle, and CVD risk factors among Japanese workers
The Good Mental Health Group consisted of 2419 subjects (57.1%), and the Poor Mental Health Group consisted of 1819 (42.9%) subjects at baseline
Summary
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including cerebrovascular diseases and coronary artery disease, are major causes of death in Japan [1,2], and controlling the risk factors for CVD is an important task for public health. In Japan, the environment for workers has significantly changed because of stagnated economic growth, the increasing mobility of the workforce, highly networked information, globalization, etc. Such changes result in an increasing number of workers who suffer from stress and mental health problems, and deterioration of mental health has become a significant social problem [13,14]. Aim: We investigated the relationships between levels of mental health, 4-year changes in lifestyle, and CVD risk factors among Japanese workers, using the SF-36 (Japanese version), which is a comprehensive scale measuring health-related quality of life. Conclusion: Japanese workers with good mental health tend to improve or maintain good lifestyle conditions and minimize CVD risk factors, while those with poor mental health generally have difficulty improving their lifestyles and lowering their CVD risk
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