The relative importance of perceived stress compared with coping behaviours and 'lifestyle' characteristics known to influence blood pressure were studied in 337 male and 317 female office workers. 2. Males had significantly higher mean systolic (P < 0.01; t-test, 652 d.f.) and diastolic (P < 0.01; t-test, 652 d.f.) blood pressure and unhealthier lifestyles than females, particularly in the areas of alcohol intake (P < 0.01; t-test, 653 d.f.) and diet (P = 0.01; t-test, 663 d.f.) 3. In males drinking alcohol was correlated to job and home/work stress (P < 0.05), and eating more atherogenic foods was correlated to home/work stress (P < 0.05). 4. Coping by food and drug consumption was correlated with job and home/work stress (P < 0.05) in males; avoidance/denial coping was correlated with job stress in both males and females (P < 0.001) and to home/work stress (P < 0.001) in males only. Blood pressure was not correlated with stress in males or females. 5. In age-adjusted regression analyses body mass index (BMI) and lifestyle (physical inactivity, alcohol consumption and diet) made significant contributions to systolic (P = 0.02) and diastolic (P < 0.01) blood pressure and, in separate analyses, coping contributed significantly to diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.01) in males. Stress made no additional contribution to blood pressure in either analysis. 6. After including age, BMI, lifestyle and coping in males 'lifestyle' still contributed to systolic and diastolic blood pressure and coping made a significant additional contribution to diastolic blood pressure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
