title: Rank in Self-Defense Forces and risk factors for atherosclerotic disease.
abstract: Socioeconomic status is associated with prevalence of and risk for atherosclerotic disease. We investigated the relationship between rank in the Self-Defense Forces (SDFs) and risk factors for atherosclerotic disease among middle-aged, male, SDFs personnel. Subjects were classified into five groups according to their ranks in the SDFs, i.e., class 1 (lowest, n = 289), class 2 (low, n = 170), class 3 (middle, n = 229), class 4 (high, n = 197), and class 5 (highest, n = 89). Low rank was associated with current cigarette smoking, alcohol abstaining, and poorer vegetable consumption. It was also associated with prevalence of type 2 diabetes, elevated gamma-glutamyltransferase activity, and high white blood cell counts. Prevalence of obesity, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, or hyperuricemia was not associated with rank in this population. Rank may be regarded as one of the markers that reflect individual health states among middle-aged male personnel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Self-Defense Forces Central Hospital, Ikejiri 1-2-24, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 154-8532, Japan.
authors.forename: Hidenari
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakuta
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008887:Military Medicine; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000145:classification* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires