SHIFT WORK AND RISK-FACTORS FOR CORONARY HEART-DISEASE IN JAPANESE BLUE-COLLAR WORKERS - SERUM-LIPIDS AND ANTHROPOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS

This study was conducted to determine ii there is an association betwe en shift work and risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) in Jap anese male blue-collar shift workers. Health check-up data on serum li pid concentration and anthropometric indices of 33 three-shift workers and 27 two-shift workers were compared with those oi day workers. The average years in age oi the shift workers and day workers were 34.5 ( SD = 7.1) and 32.7 (SD = 7.6), respectively. Serum total cholesterol l evels of three-shift, two-shift and day workers were 5.70 (SD = 1.19) mmol/l, 4.81 (SD = 1.01) mmol/l, 4.98 (SD = 0,95) mmol/l, respectively , and the cholesterol levels of three-shift workers were significantly higher than the other workers (p < 0.05). in addition, the abdominal to hip circumference ratios were 0.905 (SD = 0.060) far three-shift wo rkers and 0.877 (SD = 0.054) for day workers, with a significant diffe rence (p < 0,05). in the present Japanese population, three-shift work ers had higher risks of CHD than day workers, which was characterized by higher levels of serum total cholesterol and tendency to central ob esity. These findings held when lifestyle factors were taken into acco unt.