LIFE-STYLE INCONGRUITY AND ADULT-BLOOD PRESSURE IN WESTERN-SAMOA

Objective: The effects of lifestyle incongruity on blood pressure were tested in a cross-sectional study of 711 modernizing adult men and wo men, ages 25 to 64 years, residing in nine villages throughout Western Samoa. Methods: Lifestyle incongruity (LI) was conceptualized as the mismatch between a 21-item material possessions and lifestyle scale an d an eight-part occupational rank score. LI was measured by the arithm etic difference between the standardized distributions of lifestyle an d occupation. Blood pressure (BP) was measured three times in the seat ed position, averaged and adjusted for body mass. Sex-stratified analy ses were performed and adjusted BP was regressed on LI, age, and socio economic rank. Results: In men systolic BP was associated (p < .01) wi th incongruity between material way of life and occupation. Men with h igher occupation scores than lifestyle scares had significantly higher systolic BP. This association was stronger and significant for both s ystolic and diastolic BP among young (<40 years) men and all men from the more economically developed island. On the other hand, among older women diastolic BP was significantly (p < .01) higher among those who se material lifestyles exceeded their occupational class. Conclusions: The results in men, especially the young group, suggest two explanati ons: 1) financial demands from the extended family on young men with b etter paying jobs may reduce material consumption and produce psychoso cial stress; 2) upward socioeconomic mobility marked by good jobs but a lag in material lifestyle may represent work stress. The results in older women support the suggestion of earlier studies that excess mate rial consumption for enhancement of social prestige (living beyond one s' means) leads to stress and elevations in BP.