Trends in risk factors for lifestyle-related diseases by socioeconomic position in Geneva, Switzerland, 1993-2000: health inequalities persist.

OBJECTIVES

We report on trends in risk factors for lifestyle-related diseases among socioeconomic position (SEP) groups.

METHODS

We continuously surveyed the adult population of Geneva, Switzerland, for 8 years (1993-2000) with independent, cross-sectional surveys of representative samples (4207 men and 3987 women aged 35-74 years). Age-adjusted linear regression slopes estimated annual risk factor trends. Interaction terms were tested for trend differences between SEP groups.

RESULTS

Overall, low-SEP persons had the worst risk factor profiles. Eight-year trends indicate that (1) number of pack-years smoked decreased by half a pack-year among high-SEP female current smokers only; (2) obesity prevalence more than doubled from 5% to 11% among high-SEP men only; (3) systolic and diastolic blood pressures decreased similarly in all SEP groups; (4) unsaturated-to-saturated dietary fat ratio declined in the low-SEP group only; and (5) physical inactivity and current/former cigarette smoking prevalences remained unchanged in all SEP groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, and physical inactivity are more prevalent among low-SEP persons. Most socioeconomic risk factor differences remained stable in the 1990s. Thus, social inequalities in chronic disease morbidity and mortality will persist in the next decades.