title: Sex inequalities in cardiovascular health: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to determine sex differences in the prevalence of cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics according to the CVH status.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cross-sectional, population-based study involved 2250 women and 1920 men aged ≥18 years that participated in the 2010 National Health Survey in the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Prevalence of CVH behaviours (smoking, body mass index, physical activity, diet), CVH factors (cholesterol, fasting blood glucose and blood pressure, plus smoking) and ideal CVH were estimated according to the American Heart Association criteria for ideal, intermediate and poor levels. Association between sex and ideal CVH categories was analyzed with multivariable logistic regression analysis across three age stratums.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A higher prevalence of ideal CVH metrics was seen in women for smoking status, body mass index, healthy diet score and blood pressure, and in men for physical activity and total cholesterol. Women from all age groups had better CVH behaviours (odds ratio [OR] = 1.40 for the youngest; OR = 2.05 for middle-aged; and OR = 2.03 for older-aged women), while only women from the youngest age group had better CVH factors (OR = 5.09). In line with this, ideal overall CVH prevailed in younger and middle-aged women in comparison to men of the same ages (OR = 3.01 and OR = 2.25, respectively), while disappeared in older ones.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant differences in the prevalence of CVH metrics between men and women in the Republic of Srpska should be considered in cardiovascular disease prevention.
authors.affiliation: 1 Institute of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia drjankojankovic@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Janko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Janković
authors.affiliation: 2 Institute of Medical Statistics and Informatics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marinković
authors.affiliation: 3 Institute of Public Health, Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
authors.forename: Dragana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stojisavljević
authors.affiliation: 4 Faculty of Economics, Finance and Administration, Singidunum University, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Miloš
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Erić
authors.affiliation: 5 Institute of Hygiene and Medical Ecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Nadja
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vasiljević
authors.affiliation: 6 Institute of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Slavenka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Janković
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D017522:Bosnia and Herzegovina / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D002784:Cholesterol