Cardiovascular Risk Factor Changes in a Three‐Year Follow‐up of a Cohort in Connection with a Community Programme (the North Karelia Project)

Abstract

A reexamination after 3 yr was done in 1975 in a 20% random subsample (n = 1683) of the representative population sample (males and females, 25-59 yr) examined in 1972 in North Karelia (NK), Finland, and a matched reference county as the baseline survey for the community program in NK. The changes in smoking habits, serum cholesterol, dietary fat consumption and systolic blood pressure were more favorable among the subjects in the NK sample than among the reference sample, although the differences were generally small. Results from multivariable analyses are presented to show the variables that predict a favorable risk factor change in the individual. Living in NK is associated in the analysis with a favorable change in each of the 3 risk factors. The limitation of this method in the evaluation of a community program to control cardiovascular diseases is discussed.