Social relationships and cardiovascular disease risk factors: Findings from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Objective. Our aim was to study the associations between social relationshi ps and several health behaviors in a national sample of the U.S. population . Methods. Using data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey I II, which was conducted from 1988 to 1994, we examined the associations bet ween the frequencies of organizational and individual relationships (derive d from factor analysis) and cigarette smoking, not having had a blood press ure check during the preceding 12 months, not having had a cholesterol chec k, not engaging in physical activity, and eating fruits and vegetables fewe r than five times per day among men and women aged 18 years and older. Results. After adjusting for age, sex, race, educational attainment, marita l status, and employment status, increases in organizational relationships were associated with decreases in all five behaviors: significant inverse l inear trends were noted only for smoking and physical activity. For individ ual relationships, significant inverse linear trends were noted for not hav ing a blood pressure check within the previous 12 months, not having had a cholesterol check, and inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption. For phys ical inactivity, the shape of the relationship approximated a threshold res ponse. For smoking, a significant positive linear trend was present. Conclusions. These results support findings from previous studies and indic ate that social relationships have a beneficial effect on several behaviors that directly or indirectly affect the risk of cardiovascular disease. (C) 2000 American Health Foundation and Academic Press.