Coronary risk factors in Norwegian Seventh-day Adventists: a study of 247 Seventh-day Adventists and matched controls. The Cardiovascular Disease Studies in Norway.

Coronary risk factors in Seventh-day Adventists were compared with those in non-Seventh-day Adventist matched controls in the Norwegian Cardiovascular Disease Studies, 1973-1987. Only 10% of the Seventh-day Adventists were smokers (p less than 0.001) and serum cholesterol was 0.86 mmol/liter (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.59-1.13) lower in men and 0.48 mmol/liter (95% CI 0.25-0.71) lower in women. Blood pressure was significantly lower only in women. Ex-members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and members who did not comply with the recommended life-style had a risk factor level significantly higher than Seventh-day Adventists who complied with the life-style.