Cellular and molecular regulation of eosinophil trafficking to the lung

OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations of diet and other lifestyle factors with body mass index (BMI) using data from the Oxford Vegetarian Study. SUBJECTS: 1914 male and 3378 female non-smokers aged 20-89 y at recruitment to the study. MEASUREMENTS: All subjects completed a diet/lifestyle questionnaire at recruitment giving details of their usual diet and other characteristics including height and weight, smoking and drinking habits, amount of exercise, occupation and reproductive history. Answers to the food frequency questionnaire were used to classify subjects as either meat eaters or non-meat eaters, and to estimate intakes of animal fat and dietary fibre. Subjects were further classified according to their alcohol consumption, exercise level, social class, past smoking habits and parity. RESULTS: Mean BMI was lower in non-meat eaters than in meat eaters in all age groups for both men and women. Overall age-adjusted mean BMIs in kg/m2 were 23.18 and 22.05 for male meat eaters and non-meat eaters respectively (P < 0.0001) and 22.32 and 21.32 for female meat eaters and non-meat eaters respectively (P < 0.0001). In addition to meat consumption, dietary fibre intake, animal fat intake, social class and past smoking were all independently associated with BMI in both men and women; alcohol consumption was independently associated with BMI in men, and parity was independently associated with BMI in women. After adjusting for these factors, the differences in mean BMI between meat eaters and non-meat eaters were reduced by 36% in men and 31% in women. CONCLUSIONS: Non-meat eaters are thinner than meat eaters. This may be partly due to a higher intake of dietary fibre, a lower intake of animal fat, and only in men a lower intake of alcohol.     

Job insecurity in white-collar workers: Toward an explanation of association with health.

This article describes 2 studies that examined changes in psychosocial work characteristics (job strain model) and health-related behaviors as potential explanations of the job insecurity–health relationship in a longitudinal cohort of white-collar British civil servants. Job insecurity arising from anticipation of change was associated with a modest increase in self-reported morbidity, whereas chronic job insecurity was associated with some adverse physiological changes. Anticipation of change and chronic job insecurity were associated with adverse changes in other psychosocial work characteristics, but few changes were significant and consistent across both exposure groups. Changes in health-related behaviors associated with either exposure were slight. Apart from a minor role for social support at work in both sexes and a modest role for job demands in women, adverse changes in these factors explain little of the job insecurity–health relationship. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Work stress and health

OBJECTIVES: This article describes work stress experienced by the employed population. It examines associations between job strain, job insecurity, physical demands, low co-worker support and low supervisor support, and four health outcomes: migraine, work injury, high blood pressure and psychological distress. DATA SOURCE: The data are from the household component of the 1994/95 National Population Health Survey conducted by Statistics Canada. Results are based on a sample of 9,023 employed Canadians aged 18 to 64. ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES: Multivariate analyses were used to estimate associations between work stress and health problems, while controlling for other potential stressors. MAIN RESULTS: Among men, job strain was associated with migraine and psychological distress, and among women, with work injury. Job insecurity was associated with migraine among women. High physical demands were related to work injury in both sexes. Low co-worker support was related to migraine among men, and to work injury and psychological distress among women.     

Impact of daily mood, work hours, and iso-strain variables on self-reported health behaviors.

Four hundred and twenty-two employees completed daily diaries measuring positive affect, negative affect, work hours, and health behaviors (snacking, smoking, exercise, alcohol, caffeine consumption) on work days over a 4-week period. In addition, measures of job demands, job control, and social support (iso-strain variables) were completed on 1 occasion. Multilevel random coefficient modeling was used to examine relationships between the job characteristics, daily work variables, and self-reported health behaviors. Results indicated a more important role for within-person daily fluctuations than for between-persons variations in predicting health behaviors. Whereas negative affect was negatively related to health behavior for both men and women, work hours had negative impacts for women only. Iso-strain variables showed few main effects and a modest number of interactions with daily variables (mainly for men). Findings point to the limited impact of stable features of work design compared to the effects of daily work stressors on health behaviors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationships Between Perceived Stress and Health Behaviors in a Sample of Working Adults.

The study examined associations between perceived stress and fat intake, exercise, alcohol consumption, and smoking behaviors. Data were from surveys of 12,110 individuals in 26 worksites participating in the SUCCESS project (D. J. Hennrikus, R. W. Jeffery, & H. A. Lando, 1995), a study of smoking cessation interventions. Linear regression analyses examined cross-sectional associations between stress level and health behaviors. Analyses were stratified by gender and controlled for demographics. High stress for both men and women was associated with a higher fat diet, less frequent exercise, cigarette smoking, recent increases in smoking, less self-efficacy to quit smoking, and less self-efficacy to not smoke when stressed. Stress was not associated with alcohol intake. Findings suggest that the association between stress and disease may be moderated in part by unhealthy behaviors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Job strain and risk indicators for cardiovascular disease in young female nurses.

This study examined the possible effects of job demands, decision latitude, and job-related social support on risk indicators for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in 165 female nurses. Job strain was measured with the Job Content Questionnaire; CVD risk was measured with insulin, total cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), fibrinogen, tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) antigen, tPA activity, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 antigen, and blood pressure. Multivariate analysis of covariance and regression analyses revealed no effects of either job strain or social support on these risk indicators. All risk indicators deteriorated with age and body mass index. Oral contraceptive use improved fibrinolytic potential and increased HDL-C but had adverse effects on TG levels. Results suggest that in healthy young women job strain is not associated with an unfavorable metabolic or fibrinolytic risk profile. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ): an instrument for internationally comparative assessments of psychosocial job characteristics

Part I discusses the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ), designed to measure scales assessing psychological demands, decision latitude, social support, physical demands, and job insecurity. Part II describes the reliability of the JCQ scales in a cross-national context using 10,288 men and 6,313 women from 6 studies conducted in 4 countries. Substantial similarity in means, standard deviations, and correlations among the scales, and in correlations between scales and demographic variables, is found for both men and women in all studies. Reliability is good for most scales. Results suggest that psychological job characteristics are more similar across national boundaries than across occupations.     

Low fat intake and coronary artery disease in a population with higher prevalence of coronary artery disease: the Indian paradox

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between saturated fat intake and prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and coronary risk factors. DESIGN AND SETTING: Total community cross sectional survey of 20 urban streets out of 196 streets, in the city of Moradabad in north India. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Adult population between 25 to 64 years inclusive comprised of 1806 subjects (904 men, 902 women) were divided into three groups according to level of saturated fat intake as assessed by 7-day dietary intake records (very low < 7%, low 7 to 10%, high > 10% energy (en) per day). RESULTS: We examined the relationship between CAD risk and levels of % en from fat intake. Low (7 to 10% en/day) and high (> 10% en/day) saturated fat were positively and significantly associated with higher prevalence of CAD. The prevalence of coronary risk factors (hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, obesity and sedentary lifestyle) were significantly higher among subjects with low and high saturated fat intake compared to subjects with very low (< 7%) saturated fat intake. Logistic regression analysis with adjustment for age showed that hypercholesterolemia (OR: men 0.89, women 0.68), hypertension (men 0.92, women 0.56), physical activity (men 0.80, women 0.36), obesity (men 0.82, women 0.88) and smoking (0.70 men) were significant risk factors of CAD. Low and high saturated fat intake were associated with more prestigious occupations, higher and middle income status and better educational levels compared to very low saturated fat intake. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of CAD and coronary risk factors was higher in urban Indians with low and high saturated fat intake than those with lower saturated fat intake. These findings suggest that the saturated fat intake should be < 7% en/day for prevention of CAD in Indians.     

Relationship of job strain to standard coronary risk factors and psychological characteristics in women and men of the Family Heart Study.

This study reports on standard coronary risk factors (plasma lipids and lipoproteins, blood pressure, heart rate, age, body mass index) and psychosocial variables (job strain, Type A behavior, hostility, illnesses, medical and psychological symptoms, health-damaging behavior) in a community sample of 324 employed men, 203 employed women, and 155 female homemakers. Employed women reported less hostility and fewer illnesses than homemakers and had lower cholesterol levels than homemakers and men. Job characteristics were unrelated to standard coronary risk factor levels in both sexes, but predicted medical symptoms and health-damaging behavior in men. These findings suggest that employment is associated with enhanced medical and physical well-being among women and point to possible behavioral and psychological pathways by which job strain may adversely influence men's health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Intensity, duration, and frequency of physical activity and coronary risk factors

Relationships between coronary risk factors and intensity, duration, and frequency of leisure activity were studied in 5943 men and 6039 women, ages 25-69. Age, smoking, socioeconomics, season, body mass index (BMI), urbanization, occupational activity, and liquid, alcohol, and saturated/total fat intake were adjusted using multivariate regressions. Among men each 100 kcal.kg-1.wk-1 spent on vigorous activities (7.5-9.0 MET) was associated with: significant (P < 0.01) average differences of -0.36 mmol.L-1 total cholesterol, +0.17 mmol.L-1 HDL cholesterol (P < 0.001), +0.05 HDL/total cholesterol (P < 0.001), -0.33 mmol.L-1 triglycerides, -3 mm Hg diastolic blood pressure, -10 beats.min-1 heart rate (P < 0.001), +30 L.min-1 peak flow, and -1.1 kg.m-2 BMI. Among women it was associated with: -7 mm Hg systolic blood pressure, -6 beats.min-1 heart rate (P < 0.001), +50 L.min-1 peak flow (P < 0.001), and -1.4 kg.m-2 BMI (P < 0.05). Moderate activity (either 3.0-4.5 MET or 5.0-7.0 MET) was significantly (P < 0.05) associated with HDL cholesterol, BMI, and, for men, heart rate; for women, it was associated with HDL/total cholesterol, triglycerides, diastolic blood pressure, and peak flow. With duration and intensity constant, increasing frequency by one time per wk was significantly (P < 0.05) associated with -0.014 mmol.L-1 total cholesterol, +0.001 HDL/total cholesterol, -0.36 beats.min-1 heart rate, -0.093 kg.m-2 BMI among men, and +0.009 mmol.L-1 HDL cholesterol, +0.001 HDL/total cholesterol, -0.014 mmol.L-1 triglycerides, -0.31 beats.min-1 heart rate, and -0.098 kg.m-2 BMI among women. Serum lipids and BMI showed stronger associations with frequency than with intensity or duration.     

Change in job strain and progression of atherosclerosis: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 16(2) of Journal of Occupational Health Psychology (see record 2011-06502-001). The order of authorship was listed incorrectly. The correct order is listed in the correction.] Evidence of the association between job strain, that is, a combination of high psychological demands and low job control, and markers of atherosclerosis is mixed, but few studies with repeat measures are available. The purpose of this study was to examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between job strain and atherosclerosis. The participants were 335 men and 374 women from the prospective Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study (mean age 38.5 years). Two sequential measurements of job strain and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) were analyzed. No cross-sectional or longitudinal association between job strain and IMT was observed in women. In men, a cross-sectional association was found in 2001, but not in 2007. No dose-response effect was visible, nor a simple association between progression of job strain and progression of IMT. Instead, a more complex pattern of correlation was found in men with large decreases in job strain being associated with slower progression of IMT and combined decreases in job control and demands (a change toward passive jobs) being associated with greater IMT progression. These data suggest that temporal changes in job demands and control are associated with IMT in men via multiple mechanisms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The changing workforce, job stress, and psychological distress.

The change in the United States from a manufacturing economy to a service economy has important implications for theoretical models of the relationships between job characteristics and workers' psychological distress. A sample of 600 men and women employed full-time were recruited to test 2 theoretical models. The job demand-control model posits that jobs that are both high in job demands and low in decision latitude are associated with greater psychological distress. The job demand-service model posits that jobs that are high in job demands and low in service to others are associated with greater psychological distress. Results show that the job demand-control model is a significant predictor of psychological distress among employees in the manufacturing industry, whereas the job demand-service model is a significant predictor of psychological distress among employees in the services industries. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Job Strain, Job Insecurity, and Health: Rethinking the Relationship.

Job strain (high demands and low control) is a widely used measure of work stress. The authors introduce a new way of looking at work stress by combining job strain with job insecurity, a combination increasingly prevalent in contemporary economies, using data from a cross-sectional survey (N = 1,188) of mid-aged Australian managers and professionals. Those reporting both strain and insecurity showed markedly higher odds for mental and physical health problems (depression: odds ratio [OR] 13.88, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.67-34.01; anxiety: OR 12.88, CI 5.12-32.39; physical health problems: OR 3.97, CI 1.72-9.16; and poor self-rated health: OR 7.12, CI 2.81-18.01). Job strain and insecurity showed synergistic associations with health, and employees experiencing both could be at heightened health risk. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Change in job strain and progression of atherosclerosis: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study": Correction to Rosenstr?m et al. (2011).

Reports an error in "Change in job strain and progression of atherosclerosis: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study" by Tom Rosenstr?m, Mirka Hintsanen, Mika Kivim?ki, Markus Jokela, Markus Juonala, Jorma S. Viikari, Olli T. Raitakari and Liisa Keltikangas-J?rvinen (Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 2011[Jan], Vol 16[1], 139-150). The order of authorship was listed incorrectly. The correct order is listed in the correction. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2011-01470-011.) Evidence of the association between job strain, that is, a combination of high psychological demands and low job control, and markers of atherosclerosis is mixed, but few studies with repeat measures are available. The purpose of this study was to examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between job strain and atherosclerosis. The participants were 335 men and 374 women from the prospective Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study (mean age 38.5 years). Two sequential measurements of job strain and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) were analyzed. No cross-sectional or longitudinal association between job strain and IMT was observed in women. In men, a cross-sectional association was found in 2001, but not in 2007. No dose-response effect was visible, nor a simple association between progression of job strain and progression of IMT. Instead, a more complex pattern of correlation was found in men with large decreases in job strain being associated with slower progression of IMT and combined decreases in job control and demands (a change toward passive jobs) being associated with greater IMT progression. These data suggest that temporal changes in job demands and control are associated with IMT in men via multiple mechanisms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Characteristics of smokers who attempt to quit and of those who recently succeeded

Although a high percentage of smokers attempt to quit each year, success rates are low. Thus, public health strategies must not only convince some smokers to attempt cessation, but also improve the success rate among other smokers already motivated to quit. Specific cessation strategies may be required for smokers in these two groups. This study compares sociodemographic and health behavior characteristics of smokers who have and have not attempted to quit and of those who recently succeeded. To determine whether these characteristics vary for men and women, we stratified analyses on gender. Data were obtained from random sample health surveys conducted 1981-1982 and 1983-1984 in two New England communities. Analyses include data on 2,086 respondents who reported smoking cigarettes in the previous year. Men and women were equally likely both to attempt cessation and to quit. Except for an inverse association with age, attempting to quit was not associated with sociodemographic variables. In men and women, attempts were associated with encouraging others to quit and attempting to increase exercise. Successful cessation attempts were associated with not living with a smoker in women; marital status, attempted weight loss, and increased age in men; and with efforts to increase exercise in both men and women. These characteristics could be useful in targeting smokers who attempt to quit, but fail. Improving the success rate in this group could greatly reduce smoking prevalence in the community.     

A longitudinal study of work load and variations in psychological well-being, cortisol, smoking, and alcohol consumption

PURPOSE: Although public health interventions have not specifically targeted high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, observed changes in the prevalence of other cardiovascular risk factors would be expected to have differential effects on HDL. This study examined secular trends in HDL in relation to changes in other cardiovascular risk factors for the years 1981 through 1993 in the Pawtucket Heart Health Program (PHHP) study communities. METHODS: Nonfasting HDL levels were assessed in 12,223 respondents to six biennial population random sample surveys. RESULTS: Between 1981 and 1993, mean HDL cholesterol declined by 0.08 mmol/L in both men and women after adjustment for age, city, education, hormone use, medications, recent alcohol use, smoking, regular exercise, body mass index (BMI), and total cholesterol, (p for trend < 0.001). There was no apparent laboratory explanation for the trend which occurred concurrent with decreased smoking prevalence, increasing BMI and decreased prevalence of recent alcohol use. Decreasing HDL cholesterol was observed consistently across subgroups defined by smoking, alcohol use and BMI. CONCLUSIONS: Although several favorable cardiovascular risk factor trends have been observed in recent decades, declining HDL cholesterol is also of interest, particularly in conjunction with population increases in BMI.     

Three evaluation methods of a community health advocate program

BACKGROUND: The job demands-control model developed by Karasek has greatly influenced research on psychosocial factors at work and health. Validity of the English version of the psychological demands and decision latitude scales is documented. Psychometric qualities of the French version are investigated here in a representative sample of the general population, including blue-collars and white-collars. METHODS: The French translation of the psychological demand and decision latitude scales was administered by interview in a representative sample of the Quebec working population (N = 1,110). Internal consistency and factorial validity of the instrument were studied among white-collars and blue-collars separately. Discriminant validity was assessed for the whole population. RESULTS: Cronbach alpha coefficients, varying between 0.68 and 0.85, support the internal consistency of the scales. Demographic distribution of the scales and intercorrelations were consistent with the English version. Results of the factor analysis were consistent with the two dimensions expected from the theory. Mean scale scores and variations in the prevalence of high psychological demands combined with low decision latitude by age, sex, education, and job category support the discriminant validity of the instrument. CONCLUSIONS: Results support internal consistency, factorial validity, and discriminant validity of the French version of the psychological demands and decision latitude scales of the Karasek "Job Content Questionnaire" for white-collars and for blue-collars of the general population.     

Forty years on: Teachers' assessments of children's personality traits predict self-reported health behaviors and outcomes at midlife.

A life span health-behavior model was investigated in this longitudinal study of personality influences on health. Teachers assessed 963 elementary schoolchildren on traits that formed scales assessing the dimensions of the five-factor (Big Five) model of personality. Smoking, alcohol use, body mass index (BMI), and self-rated health were assessed 40 years later in midlife. Childhood personality traits were significantly associated with all 4 outcomes, and the effects were consistently larger for women than men. For men and women, childhood Conscientiousness was associated with less adult smoking and better adult self-rated health and, for women only, with lower adult BMI. Mediation analyses suggested that the effects of Conscientiousness on self-rated health were partially mediated by smoking and BMI. These findings add to the growing evidence that childhood personality traits predict adult health outcomes and are discussed in terms of future testing of the life span health-behavior model. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationship of physical characteristics and life habits to treadmill exercise capacity

Apparently healthy middle-aged men (n = 175) were recruited from a population sample and completed questionnaires about habitual physical activity, smoking, beverage consumption and sleep habits. Body mass index (BMI), heart rate and blood pressure were measured at rest and during submaximal exercise; frequency of ventricular premature beats (VPB) on an ECG rhythm strip; hand grip strength; and serum cholesterol. These characteristics were correlated with duration of treadmill exercise by the Bruce protocol. Univariate analysis indicated that treadmill performance was significantly and positively correlated with leisure-time physical activity and personal reports of sweating and/or dyspnea occurring regularly during such physical activity. Performance was negatively correlated with age, BMI, resting heart rate, cigarette smoking, and consumption of caffeine-containing beverages, but was insignificantly related to job physical activity, hand grip strength, alcohol consumption, sleep habits, blood pressure, cigar smoking, serum cholesterol, and the frequency of VPB. A 0.75 multiple correlation coefficient was found between treadmill performance and 11 of the above variables and the r is increased to 0.81 by adding heart rate during submaximal exercise. It is concluded that substantial prediction of work capacity and physical fitness of population is achieved by questionnaires and easily obtained, noninvasive physical measures.     

The double meaning of control: Three-way interactions between internal resources, job control, and stressors at work.

The Job Demand-Control model postulates that job control attenuates the effects of job demands on health and well-being. Support for this interactive effect is rather weak. Conceivably, it holds only when there is a match between job control and individual characteristics that relate to exercising control options, such as locus of control, or self-efficacy. This three-way interaction was tested in a sample of 96 service employees, with affective strain and musculoskeletal pain as dependent variables. As hypothesized, job control attenuated the effects of stressors only for people with an internal locus of control. For people with an external locus of control, job control actually predicted poorer well-being and health as stressors increased. For self-efficacy, the corresponding three-way interaction was significant with regard to affective strain. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)