Cardiovascular risk factor levels differ between communities of different sizes in the Northern Sweden MONICA Project.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the levels of the main cardiovascular risk factors in communities of different sizes in northern Sweden.


METHODS
Blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking habits, the prevalence of diabetes mellitus, and body mass index for 6167 men and women below age 65 were examined in the Northern Sweden MONICA surveys in 1986, 1990, 1994, and 1999. The size of the community where each individual lived and the levels of relevant confounders were also recorded.


RESULTS
The proportion of persons with a higher educational level decreased gradually with decreasing community size. Total serum cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and the body mass index were significantly higher in the smallest communities (<1000 inhabitants) as compared with the largest (>15000 inhabitants) but there were fewer smokers among men in the smallest communities. The time trends indicated an overall decreasing serum cholesterol level and increasing body mass index for both sexes and a decreasing proportion of smokers among men during the years surveyed.


CONCLUSIONS
There are differences in levels of cardiovascular risk factors between communities of different sizes in the Northern Sweden MONICA area, mainly to the disadvantage of the smallest communities.
Messner
Torbjörn
T
Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden. torbjorn@kiruna.se
Lundberg
Vivan
V
Stegmayr
Birgitta
B
D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
D002784:Cholesterol