United Kingdom Heart Disease Prevention Project: 12-year follow-up of risk factors

Abstract

Ten of the original 24 factories from the United Kingdom Heart Disease Prevention Project were resurveyed in 1983 to assess the long-term (12-year) effects of an education program on diet, smoking, and exercise. These 10 factories had previously been grouped into five pairs matched for size, location, and nature of industry, with one of each pair randomly chosen for intervention. Men in intervention factories were given advice on reduction of cholesterol in diet, stopping smoking, weight reduction, and regular exercise. High-risk workers (13%) received personal counseling in addition to the factory-wide education program. A total of 1,204 workers randomly selected from those still employed in 1978 were surveyed. There were significant differences observed in cigarette consumption, butter use, and several other dietary behaviors; however, the differences were small and insignificant for the proportion smoking and leisure-time exercise. The largest effects were in the high-risk group who had received personal counseling. This education program appears to have some lasting effects on behavior associated with coronary disease risk factors. Similarly designed programs may serve as models for community-wide coronary disease prevention programs.