Do statin users adhere to a healthy diet and lifestyle? The Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study.
Background Lifestyle and dietary advice typically precedes or accompanies the prescription of statin medications. However, evidence for adherence to this advice is sparse. The objective was to compare saturated fat intake, exercise, alcohol consumption and smoking between statin users and non-users in Australia. Methods Data were analysed for 4614 participants aged ≥37 years in the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle study in 2011-2012. Statin use, smoking status and physical activity were self-reported. Saturated fat and alcohol intake were measured via a food frequency questionnaire. Multinomial logistic regression was used to compute adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between statin use and the four lifestyle factors. All models were adjusted for age, sex, education, number of general practitioner visits, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes and prior cardiovascular diseases. Results In total 1108 (24%) participants used a statin. Statin users were 29% less likely to be within the highest quartile versus the lowest quartile of daily saturated fat intake compared to non-users (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.54-0.94). There were no statistically significant associations between statin use and smoking, physical activity or alcohol consumption. Conclusions Smoking status, alcohol consumption and exercise level did not differ between users and non-users of statins. However, statin users were less likely to consume high levels of saturated fat than non-users. We found no evidence that people took statins to compensate for a poor diet or lifestyle.
1 Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Australia.|2 Division of Pharmacy Practice and Policy, University of Nottingham, UK.
Simran
S
Johal
1 Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Australia.
Kris M
KM
Jamsen
1 Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Australia.|3 Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Australia.
J Simon
JS
Bell
1 Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Australia.|4 School of Medicine, Deakin University, Australia.|5 Centre for Population Health Research, Deakin University, Australia.
Kevin P
KP
Mc Namara
3 Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Australia.|6 Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
Dianna J
DJ
Magliano
3 Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Australia.
Danny
D
Liew
1 Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Australia.
Taliesin E
TE
Ryan-Atwood
2 Division of Pharmacy Practice and Policy, University of Nottingham, UK.
Claire
C
Anderson
1 Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Australia.|3 Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Australia.
Jenni
J
Ilomäki
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D000072001:Diet, Healthy; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015444:Exercise; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D000070497:Healthy Lifestyle; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010349:Patient Compliance; D064167:Recommended Dietary Allowances; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology
D004041:Dietary Fats; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors; Smoking; alcohol drinking; cohort study; diet; epidemiology; exercise