TITLE:
Relationship changes in lifestyle, cardiovascular risk factors, and mental health in Japanese workers: A four-year follow up with high-risk and population strategies of the occupational health promotion (HIPOP-OHP) study
AUTHORS:
Junko Minai, Taichiro Tanaka, Tomonori Okamura, Shunichi Fukuhara, Yoshimi Suzukamo, Hirotsugu Ueshima, Zentaro Yamagata
KEYWORDS:
Lifestyle; Cardiovascular Risk Factors; Mental Health; Japanese Workers; HIPOP-OHP
JOURNAL NAME:
Health,
Vol.4 No.11,
November
21,
2012
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