Trends of cardiovascular risk factors and diseases in Japan: Implications for primordial prevention

We have documented a 70% fail in stroke mortality and a 20% decline in coro nary disease (CHD) mortality over the past 30 years in Japan. This parallel s a change away from the traditional Japanese eating pattern, with less sal t and more meat and dairy products, and decreased rates of smoking. A recen t increase in CHD rates among urban Japanese men raises the need for vigoro us primordial prevention efforts to avoid elevated blood lipids in modern J apanese populations, while primary prevention efforts must continue for the prevention of hypertension and smoking. (C) 1999 American Health Foundatio n and Academic Press.