Patterns of change in cardiovascular risks of Korean male workers: a 10-year cohort analysis using the National Health Insurance Service–National Sample Cohort (NHIS-NSC) 2.0 database

OBJECTIVE: Health behaviour is one of the major determinants of cardiovascular diseases in working population. This study was tried to investigate the trend of cardiovascular health level, the relationship between continuous health behaviours, and changes in the risk of cardiovascular diseases of male workers by using a nationwide database. DESIGN: This study is a retrospective cohort study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: The study analysed data of 57 837 male workers whose personal health examination data were continuously traced using Korea’s National Health Insurance Service–National Sample Cohort 2.0 database. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: A 10-year trend for all cardiovascular risks and change for the risks according to the consistent performance of healthy behaviours. RESULTS: The results showed that the risk of being overweight (adjusted OR (aOR) 1.63, 95% CI 1.59 to 1.68) and obese (aOR 1.51, 95% CI 1.47 to 1.56) increased. The index of cardiovascular risk also increased for high fasting glucose (aOR 1.77, 95% CI 1.62 to 1.95) and high total cholesterol (aOR 1.68, 95% CI 1.60 to 1.76), respectively. The risks of high fasting glucose (aOR 2.09, 95% CI 1.40 to 3.13), high triglycerides (aOR 1.27, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.42) and high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (aOR 1.38, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.66) were increased among high-risk smokers. Similarly, the risk of high total cholesterol (aOR 2.20, 95% CI 1.35 to 3.58) and high triglycerides (aOR 1.42, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.85) were increased among high-risk drinkers. In addition, the increase in the risk of being overweight (aOR 2.20, 95% CI 1.83 to 2.65) and obese (aOR 1.90, 95% CI 1.59 to 2.27) were analysed among who had not consistently exercised. CONCLUSIONS: Since the pattern of change in the level of cardiovascular risk related to the continuous health behaviours of male workers was identified, the findings of the present study can be used as basic data to develop health promotion policies for the population.