INFANT-MORTALITY AND ISCHEMIC-HEART-DISEASE IN HUNGARY

Hungarian mortality rate is one of the highest in Europe. We have inve stigated the association between poor living standards and ischemic he art disease by a detailed geographical comparison of infant mortality in 1920-1939 and death in adults from ischemic; heart disease and othe r leading causes of death in 1990-1994. Ischemic heart disease [r=0.32 5] and malignant tumors of digestive apparatus [r=0.562,] are strongly correlated with infant mortality. A significant difference was observ ed in both infant and overall mortality rates between the western and eastern counties. Our results suggest that the geographical distributi on of ischemic heart disease in Hungary reflects later dietary influen ces. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.