Observed changes in cardiovascular risk factors among high-risk middle-aged men who received lifestyle counselling: a 5-year follow-up

Figures & data

Table 1. CVD risk score according to modified method of North Karelia project risk score.

Score	BMI^a, kg/m^2	Current smoking	Physical activity^d	Systolic BP^b, mmHg	Diastolic BP^b, mmHg	Total-C^c, mmol/L
0	≤24.9	0	≥3x/week	≤129	≤79	≤4.9
0.5	25–26.9	Occasionally	1–2x/week	130–139	80–89	5.0–5.4
1.0	27–28.9	1–4/day	App. 1x/week	140–149	90–94	5.5–5.9
1.5	29–30.9	5–9/day	Sometimes	150–159	95–99	6.0–6.4
2.0	≥31	10–14/day	Never	≥160	≥100	6.5–6.9
2.5	–	15–19/day	–	–	–	7.0–7.4
3.0	–	20–24/day	–	–	–	7.5–7.9
3.5	–	25–29/day	–	–	–	8.0–8.4
4.0	–	≥30/day	–	–	–	≥8.5

a BMI: body mass index;

b BP: blood pressure;

c Total-C: total cholesterol.

d Continuous physical activity (duration at least 30 min) causing sweating or some shortness of breath.

According to used criteria, high-risk persons have the risk score of ≥4.5.

Table 2. Clinical characteristic at baseline and 5-year follow-up grouped according to CVD risk control visits.

	CVD risk control visits during follow-up
	No control	Primary care	Occupational care		All
	n = 55	n = 59	n = 45	p Value^a	n = 159	p Value^b
BMI (kg/m^2)
Baseline	29.1 (4.5)	30.2 (6.6)	29.0 (4.3)	0.434	29.5 (5.3)	–
Follow-up	29.7 (4.5)	30.6 (7.2)	29.9 (4.6)	0.650	30.1 (5.7)	–
Change	0.6 (2.3)	0.4 (2.4)	0.9 (2.1)	0.692	0.6 (2.3)	.001
95% CI	−0.4 to 1.2	−0.2 to 1.1	0.3 to 1.5	–	0.3 to 1.0	–
WC (cm)
Baseline	101.7 (12.0)	105.9 (15.3)	103.1 (10.8)	0.244	103.7 (13.1)	–
Follow-up	103.0 (12.1)	105.7 (17.3)	104.8 (12.4)	0.402	104.5 (14.2)	–
Change	1.3 (6.8)	−0.2 (6.4)	1.7 (6.7)	0.391	0.8 (6.7)	.128
95% CI	−0.6 to 3.2	−2.0 to 1.5	−0.4 to 3.8	–	−0.2 to 1.9	–
SBP (mmHg)
Baseline	136.6 (15.1)	141.5 (18.7)	140.0 (15.9)	0.278	139.4 (16.7)	–
Follow-up	144.2 (18.6)	137.7 (14.9)	142.4 (14.7)	0.092	141.3 (16.4)	–
Change	7.6 (14.9)	−3.8 (16.2)	2.4 (17.2)	0.004	1.9 (16.7)	.156
95% CI	3.6 to 11.7	−8.0 to 0.4	−2.8 to 7.5	–	−0.7 to 4.5	–
DBP (mmHg)
Baseline	88.6 (9.5)	93.9 (12.8)	92.6 (9.9)	0.026	91.7 (11.1)	–
Follow-up	92.9 (10.6)	89.0 (8.9)	91.8 (9.8)	0.103	91.2 (9.9)	–
Change	4.3 (9.6)	−4.9 (11.7)	−0.8 (12.1)	0.003	−0.5 (11.7)	.570
95% CI	1.7 to 6.9	−8.0 to −1.8	−4.5 to 2.8	–	−2.4 to 1.3	–
Total-C
Baseline	5.6 (1.0)	5.6 (1.3)	5.5 (1.0)	0.963	5.5 (1.1)	–
Follow-up	5.8 (0.9)	5.3 (1.0)	5.4 (1.1)	0.830	5.5 (1.1)	–
Change	0.2 (1.03)	−0.3 (1.3)	−0.1 (1.0)	0.029	−0.0 (1.1)	.666
95% CI	0.0 to 0.4	−0.6 to 0.1	−0.3 to 0.2	–	−0.2 to 0.1	–
LDL-C
Baseline	3.26 (0.83)	3.20 (0.99)	3.27 (0.88)	0.841	3.24 (0.90)	–
Follow-up	3.31 (0.78)	2.94 (0.85)	3.23 (0.94)	0.117	3.15 (0.86)	–
Change	0.05 (0.60)	−0.26 (0.88)	−0.04 (0.84)	0.031	−0.09 (0.79)	.153
95% CI	−0.12 to 0.22	−0.50 to −0.03	−0.31 to 0.22	–	−0.22 to 0.03	–
HDL-C
Baseline	1.57 (0.46)	1.52 (0.36)	1.41 (0.34)	0.149	1.51 (0.39)	–
Follow-up	1.42 (0.34)	1.36 (0.40)	1.29 (0.34)	0.262	1.36 (0.39)	–
Change	−0.15 (0.24)	−0.16 (0.33)	−0.12 (0.19)	0.966	−0.15 (0.26)	<.001
95% CI	−0.22 to −0.09	−0.24 to −0.07	−0.19 to −0.07	–	−0.19 to −0.11	–
TG
Baseline	1.72 (1.11)	2.14 (2.51)	2.03 (1.82)	0.498	1.96 (1.92)	–
Follow-up	1.75 (1.04)	1.72 (0.96)	1.88 (2.86)	0.882	1.77 (1.72)	–
Change	0.03 (1.04)	−0.42 (2.45)	−0.15 (1.49)	0.612	−0.19 (1.80)	.190
95% CI	−0.26 to 0.31	−1.07 to 0.22	−0.60 to 0.31	–	−0.47 to 0.09	–
Glucose
Baseline	5.5 (0.6)	5.7 (0.6)	5.6 (0.5)	0.123	5.6 (0.6)	–
Follow-up	5.9 (0.8)	5.8 (0.8)	5.9 (0.7)	0.863	5.9 (0.8)	–
Change	0.4 (0.6)	0.1 (0.7)	0.3 (0.5)	0.116	0.3 (0.6)	<.001
95% CI	0.2 to 0.5	−0.1 to 0.3	0.1 to 0.4	–	0.1 to 0.3	–

Data are means (SD).

a p Values are for testing equality between groups.

b p Values are for testing paired difference.

BMI: body mass index; WC: waist circumference; SBP: systolic blood pressure; DBP: diastolic blood pressure; Total-C: total cholesterol in mmol/L; LDL-C: low-density cholesterol in mmol/L; HDL-C: high-density cholesterol in mmol/L; TG: triglycerides in mmol/L, glucose in mmol/L.

Table 3. Lifestyle characteristics at baseline and at 5-year follow-up grouped according to CVD risk control visits.

	CVD risk control visits during follow-up
	No control	Health centre	Occupational care		All
	n = 55	n = 59	n = 45	p Value^a	n = 159	p Value^b
Smoking, %
Baseline	63.6	50.8	51.1	0.318	55.3	–
Follow-up	50.9	37.3	40.0	0.309	42.8	–
Change	–12.7	–13.5	–11.1	0.738	–12.5	<.001
95% CI	−23.9 to −0.8	−23.4 to −3.1	−24.8 to 3.5	–	−19.2 to −5.7	–
PA ≥90 min/wk, %
Baseline	36.4	22.0	28.9	0.241	28.9	–
Follow-up	60.0	55.9	53.3	0.792	56.6	–
Change	23.6	33.9	24.4	0.859	27.7	<.001
95% CI	9.5 to 36.2	18.9 to 46.6	4.7 to 41.6	–	18.6 to 36.0	–
Users of soft fat, %
Baseline	21.8	22.0	11.1	0.277	18.9	–
Follow-up	72.7	84.7	73.3	0.246	77.4	–
Change	50.9	62.7	62.2	0.270	58.5	<.001
95% CI	35.5 to 62.3	46.6 to 73.6	45.5 to 73.9	–	49.7 to 65.5	–

PA: physical activity.

a p Values are for testing equality between groups.

b p Values are for testing paired difference.

Table 4. Risk scores at baseline and at 5-year-follow-up grouped according to CVD risk control visits.

	CVD risk control visits during follow-up
	No control	Primary care	Occupational care		All
	n = 55	n = 59	n = 45	p Value^a	n = 159	p Value^b
CVD risk score
Baseline	6.0 (1.7)	6.1 (1.7)	6.0 (1.4)	0.898	6.1 (1.6)	–
Follow-up	5.9 (2.2)	4.8 (2.3)	5.4 (2.2)	0.027	5.4 (2.3)	–
Change	−0.1 (1.7)	−1.3 (2.1)	−0.6 (2.6)	0.011	−0.7 (2.2)	<.001
95% CI	−0.5 to 0.4	−1.9 to −0.8	−1.4 to 0.1	–	−1.1 to −0.4	–
Score Chart
Baseline	4.7 (1.7)	5.1 (2.2)	4.8 (2.2)	0.594	4.9 (2.1)	–
Follow-up	5.2 (2.3)	4.0 (1.9)	4.3 (2.1)	0.010	4.5 (2.2)	–
Change	0.5 (2.1)	−1.1 (1.9)	−0.5 (2.7)	0.001	−0.4 (2.3)	.060
95% CI	−0.1 to 1.1	−1.6to −0.6	−1.3 to 0.3	–	−0.7 to 0.02	–

Data are means (SD).

a p Values are for testing equality between groups.

b p Values are for testing paired difference.

CVD risk score: a modified version of the North Karelia project risk tool; Score Chart: CVD risk extrapolated to age 60 by Score European Low Risk Chart.