title: Sex differences in health behavior change after premature acute coronary syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Limited information is available on the health behavior profile of patients with premature acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The purpose of this study is to desribe the health bahvior of young patients with ACS at the baseline and 1 year post-ACS and examine sex differences.
  
  
  METHODS
  GENESIS-PRAXY is a prospective cohort study of adults (18-55 years old) hospitalized with ACS from 26 centers located in Canada, United States, and Switzerland. Data on diet, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, and recreational drug use were collected through self-administered questionnaires at baseline and 1 year post-ACS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our analysis included 740 patients with complete data. At baseline, the health behavior profile of young patients with ACS was worse than that of the general population. Men had a lower fruit and vegetable intake, consumed alcohol more, and used recreational drugs more than women. Conversely, fewer men than women were smokers (34% vs 42%). At 1 year post-ACS, the proportion of those consuming ≥5 daily servings of fruits and vegetables increased modestly (+5% vs +1%, for men vs women) but remained lower than the general population. Among women, the prevalence of smoking remained about twice as high as the general population. Recreational drug use also remained higher than in the general population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite small improvements at 1 year post-ACS, the health behavior profile of young patients remained worse than that of the general population. Greater efforts to improve health behaviors post-ACS among young patients are needed, and a sex-based approach may be required to ensure successful behavioral changes.
authors: Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors: Sylvie S L
authors: SS
authors: Leung Yinko
authors: Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors: Janane
authors: J
authors: Maheswaran
authors: Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors: Roxanne
authors: R
authors: Pelletier
authors: Montreal Behavioural Medicine Centre, Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Exercise Science, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors: Simon L
authors: SL
authors: Bacon
authors: Division of General Internal Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors: Stella S
authors: SS
authors: Daskalopoulou
authors: Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors: Nadia A
authors: NA
authors: Khan
authors: Divisions of Cardiology and Clinical Epidemiology, Jewish General Hospital and McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors: Mark J
authors: MJ
authors: Eisenberg
authors: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors: Igor
authors: I
authors: Karp
authors: Montreal Behavioural Medicine Centre, Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Quebec at Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Research Centre, Montreal Heart Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors: Kim L
authors: KL
authors: Lavoie
authors: Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors: Hassan
authors: H
authors: Behlouli
authors: Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Division of General Internal Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Electronic address: louise.pilote@mcgill.ca.
authors: Louise
authors: L
authors: Pilote
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001526:Behavioral Symptoms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult