Trends in risk factors for lifestyle-related diseases by socioeconomic position in Geneva, Switzerland, 1993-2000: health inequalities persist.
OBJECTIVE
We report on trends in risk factors for lifestyle-related diseases among socioeconomic position (SEP) groups.


METHODS
We continuously surveyed the adult population of Geneva, Switzerland, for 8 years (1993-2000) with independent, cross-sectional surveys of representative samples (4207 men and 3987 women aged 35-74 years). Age-adjusted linear regression slopes estimated annual risk factor trends. Interaction terms were tested for trend differences between SEP groups.


RESULTS
Overall, low-SEP persons had the worst risk factor profiles. Eight-year trends indicate that (1) number of pack-years smoked decreased by half a pack-year among high-SEP female current smokers only; (2) obesity prevalence more than doubled from 5% to 11% among high-SEP men only; (3) systolic and diastolic blood pressures decreased similarly in all SEP groups; (4) unsaturated-to-saturated dietary fat ratio declined in the low-SEP group only; and (5) physical inactivity and current/former cigarette smoking prevalences remained unchanged in all SEP groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, and physical inactivity are more prevalent among low-SEP persons. Most socioeconomic risk factor differences remained stable in the 1990s. Thus, social inequalities in chronic disease morbidity and mortality will persist in the next decades.
Galobardes
Bruna
B
Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland.
Costanza
Michael C
MC
Bernstein
Martine S
MS
Delhumeau
Cecile
C
Morabia
Alfredo
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D040343:Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008019:Life Style; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009790:Occupations / Q000145:classification; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*