LONGITUDINAL OBSERVATION OF GENERAL HEALT H SCREENING IN VORARLBERG FROM 1986 TO 1994

In this longitudinal study we observed a sample of people who particip ated in the general health screening program in Vorarlberg between 198 6 and 1994. The aim was to analyse the changes in the parameters, body -mass index, diastolic and systolic blood pressure, blood glucose, cho lesterol, gamma-GT and triglycerides of 1205 women and 718 men over th is period. Using the baseline values recorded in 1986 as reference the sample was divided into groups with normal, slightly increased and hi ghly increased values for the parameters. On average, the risk factors of people with highly increased baseline values decreased on both a s hortterm (1986-1988), and a long-term basis (1986-1994). The only exce ption was the body-mass index, which showed a slight reduction in the first two years and a slight increase in the long run. The normal base line values rose in all the variables within the period of observation . Sex differences must be considered with regard to body-mass index, c holesterol and triglycerides, age differences are significant with reg ard to body-mass index, systolic blood pressure and cholesterol. The r esults of the study point to the usefulness of regular participation i n general health screening programs. They show, in particular, that th e risk factors for civilization-induced diseases diminish visibly in t he group of highly endangered people.