Socioeconomic differences in behavioural and biological risk factors: a comparison of a Japanese and an English cohort of employed men

Background To compare socioeconomic differences in behavioural and biologic al risk factors in Japanese and English 39-59-year-old employed men. Methods We measured systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total and high d ensity lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip r atio and fibrinogen at medical screenings and smoking and alcohol consumpti on in health questionnaires among Japanese non-manual and manual employees of a steel products company and among English non-manual employees working in Civil Service departments. Results In England, higher employment grades were advantaged with regard to most risk factors studied. In Japan the picture was different in that high er grades had higher BMI, waist-to-hip-ratio and lower HDL cholesterol. In Japan employment grade differences in these three risk factors are dearly l arger among younger men than among older men, while in England age differen tials in the grade differences are small. Similar results were obtained for education. Conclusions Important differences in the social patterning of risk factors were observed in our cohorts of employed Japanese and English men. The cont ribution that these risk factors make in explaining social differences in h ealth may vary accordingly. Studies that identify the common and unique det erminants of socioeconomic health differences in different populations are needed.