title: Lifestyle-Related Factors and Atopy in Seven Danish Population-Based Studies from Different Time Periods.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of allergic respiratory disease tends to increase in populations that adopt the so-called Westernized lifestyle. We investigated the association between atopy and several possible lifestyle-related factors in seven Danish population-based studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 20048 persons participated in the seven studies. We used logistic regression to analyse the associations between possible determinants and atopy defined as serum specific IgE or skin prick test positivity against inhalant allergens. Associations were expressed as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). In addition, individual participant data meta-analyses were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Atopy was significantly associated with younger age (OR per 1 year increase in age: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.97, 0.98); male sex (OR for males versus females: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.24, 1.45), heavy drinking (OR for heavy drinkers versus light drinkers: 1.15; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.27), never smoking (OR for current versus never smokers: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.67, 0.80), and higher educational level (OR for educated versus uneducated: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.15, 1.41). Atopy was not associated with blood pressure, serum total cholesterol, physical activity or body mass except in women only, where we found a positive association (OR for obese vs. normal weight: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.39) with ptrend = 0.032.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Of interest for preventive purposes, we found that atopy was associated with some of the reversible lifestyle-related factors that characterize a Westernized lifestyle.
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Prevention and Health, Capital Region of Denmark, Glostrup, Denmark.
authors.forename: Tea
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Skaaby
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Prevention and Health, Capital Region of Denmark, Glostrup, Denmark.
authors.forename: Lise Lotte Nystrup
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Husemoen
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Prevention and Health, Capital Region of Denmark, Glostrup, Denmark.
authors.forename: Betina Heinsbæk
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Thuesen
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Prevention and Health, Capital Region of Denmark, Glostrup, Denmark; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Faculty of Medicine, Alborg University, Alborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: Torben
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Prevention and Health, Capital Region of Denmark, Glostrup, Denmark; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Clinical Experimental Research, Glostrup University Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark.
authors.forename: Allan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Linneberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens