Trends in socio-economic differentials in cigarette smoking behaviour between 1990 and 1998: a large prospective study in Korean men

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the magnitude and time trends in socio-economic differentials in cigarette smoking behaviour. STUDY DESIGNS: A prospective observational study of male civil servants followed-up for 8 years. SETTING: All civil service offices in Korea. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 322,991 male civil servants aged 30-49 years on whom information on monthly salary was available and who had reported cigarette smoking behaviour between 1990 and 1998. RESULTS: Smoking prevalence was 60.1% in 1990 and was inversely associated with salary level. The difference in smoking prevalence between the highest and the lowest salary groups gradually widened from 13.0% in 1990 to 16.1% in 1998. The relative index of inequality (RII) as a measure of socio-economic inequality in smoking behaviour was 1.91 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.86-1.97] in 1990 and increased between 1990 and 1998. The RII for smoking cessation was 0.60 in 1990 (95% CI 0.58-0.62) and gradually decreased as time lapsed. CONCLUSIONS: An increasing trend in socio-economic inequality in smoking behaviour was observed in this study.     

枣庄市居民吸烟、饮酒状况分析

目的　分析枣庄市居民吸烟、饮酒状况 ,为进一步采取干预措施提供依据。方法　于2 0 0 3年 8～ 10月采用分层整群随机抽样方法抽取枣庄市城区 2个街道办事处 6个居委会和农村 2个区 (市 ) 6个乡镇 18个行政村 18岁以上居民 ,用统一调查表进行问卷式入户调查。结果　共调查375 6人 ,其中城镇居民 14 16人 ,农村居民 2 340人 ;男性 1877人 ,女性 1879人。总吸烟率为 30 6 % ,饮酒率为 17 3% ;吸烟、饮酒率与地区、性别、年龄、职业、文化程度和婚姻状况等相关 (P <0 0 5或P <0 0 1) ,城镇吸烟率低于农村 ,而饮酒率则高于农村 ,男性吸烟、饮酒率均高于女性。职业特征显示干部吸烟、饮酒率最高 ;高收入者饮酒率高于其他人群 (P <0 0 1) ,吸烟率则未见和经济收入相关 ;烟龄和日吸烟量、酒龄和日饮酒量间均呈相关关系 (均R =0 872 ,P <0 0 1) ,吸烟与饮酒间也呈相关关系(R =0 5 2 ,P <0 0 1)。结论　枣庄市居民吸烟、饮酒现象比较普遍 ,今后应加强对社区居民的健康教育 ,控制烟酒量。     

A simultaneous analysis of neighbourhood and childhood socio-economic environment with self-assessed health and health-related behaviours

Childhood socio-economic environment and neighbourhood socio-economic environment later in life are closely related. However, few studies have considered their effects simultaneously. Using cross-sectional data of approximately 8000 respondents in 86 neighbourhoods in the city of Eindhoven, The Netherlands, we study associations of both determinants with self-assessed health, smoking, alcohol consumption and overweight. Growing up in a low socio-economic environment increased the probability to live a more deprived neighbourhood in adulthood. Controlling for individual socio-economic characteristics, both childhood and neighbourhood socio-economic environment were related to smoking and overweight, but not with excessive alcohol consumption. Associations between childhood socio-economic environment and smoking and overweight are still substantial after controlling for neighbourhood socio-economic environment. Similarly, neighbourhood inequalities in smoking and overweight remain substantial after controlling for childhood socio-economic environment.     

Healthy travel and the socio-economic structure of car commuting in Cambridge, UK: a mixed-methods analysis

Car use is associated with substantial health and environmental costs but research in deprived populations indicates that car access may also promote psychosocial well-being within car-oriented environments. This mixed-method (quantitative and qualitative) study examined this issue in a more affluent setting, investigating the socio-economic structure of car commuting in Cambridge, UK. Our analyses involved integrating self-reported questionnaire data from 1142 participants in the Commuting and Health in Cambridge study (collected in 2009) and in-depth interviews with 50 participants (collected 2009-2010). Even in Britain's leading 'cycling city', cars were a key resource in bridging the gap between individuals' desires and their circumstances. This applied both to long-term life goals such as home ownership and to shorter-term challenges such as illness. Yet car commuting was also subject to constraints, with rush hour traffic pushing drivers to start work earlier and with restrictions on, or charges for, workplace parking pushing drivers towards multimodal journeys (e.g. driving to a 'park-and-ride' site then walking). These patterns of car commuting were socio-economically structured in several ways. First, the gradient of housing costs made living near Cambridge more expensive, affecting who could 'afford' to cycle and perhaps making cycling the more salient local marker of Bourdieu's class distinction. Nevertheless, cars were generally affordable in this relatively affluent, highly-educated population, reducing the barrier which distance posed to labour-force participation. Finally, having the option of starting work early required flexible hours, a form of job control which in Britain is more common among higher occupational classes. Following a social model of disability, we conclude that socio-economic advantage can make car-oriented environments less disabling via both greater affluence and greater job control, and in ways manifested across the full socio-economic range. This suggests the importance of combining individual-level 'healthy travel' interventions with measures aimed at creating travel environments in which all social groups can pursue healthy and satisfying lives.     

Associations Between Socio-demographic Characteristics and Healthy Lifestyles in Korean Adults: The Result of the 2010 Community Health Survey

Objectives

Several previous studies have found that healthy behaviors substantially reduce non-communicable disease incidence and mortality. The present study was performed to estimate the prevalence of four modifiable healthy behaviors and a healthy lifestyle among Korean adults according to socio-demographic and regional factors.

Methods

We analyzed data from 199 400 Korean adults aged 19 years and older who participated in the 2010 Korean Community Health Survey. We defined a healthy lifestyle as a combination of four modifiable healthy behaviors: non-smoking, moderate alcohol consumption, regular walking, and a healthy weight. We calculated the prevalence rates and odds ratios of each healthy behavior and healthy lifestyle according to socio-demographic and regional characteristics.

Results

The prevalence rates were as follows: non-smoking, 75.0% (53.7% in men, 96.6% in women); moderate alcohol consumption, 88.2% (79.7% in men, 96.9% in women); regular walking, 45.0% (46.2% in men, 43.8% in women); healthy weight, 77.4% (71.3% in men, 73.6% in women); and a healthy lifestyle, 25.5% (16.4% in men, 34.6% in women). The characteristics associated with a low prevalence of healthy lifestyle were male gender, younger age (19 to 44 years of age), low educational attainment, married, living in a rural area, living in the Chungcheong, Youngnam, or Gwangwon-Jeju region, and poorer self-rated health.

Conclusions

Further research should be implemented to explore the explainable factors of disparities for socio-demographic and regional characteristics to engage in the healthy lifestyle among adults.     

男性居民吸烟、饮酒水平与胆石症患病关系

目的 探讨男性居民吸烟、饮酒水平与胆石症患病的关系。方法 在广东省人群脂肪肝现况调查的基础上,选取成年男性居民,对其吸烟、饮酒水平与胆石症关系进行分析。结果 男性居民胆石症的患病率随着每天吸烟量的增加而升高（趋势χ^25.542,P=0.019）,同时随着年吸烟总量的增加而不断升高（趋势χ^27.302,P=0.007）,排除胆石症常见影响因素年龄和肥胖的影响后每天吸烟量以及年吸烟总量仍然是胆石症的危险因素（每天吸烟量OR=1.269,95%CI：1.018～1.580;吸烟总量OR=1.295,95%CI：1.020～1.646）。饮酒与胆石症的关系是少量和适量饮酒（〈40g/d）可降低男性居民的胆石症的发病,但大量饮酒（≥40g/d）反而会刺激胆石症的形成,呈现“V”形分布。排除胆石症常见影响因素年龄和肥胖的影响后,少量和适量饮酒的保护作用仍然存在（OR=0.537,95%CI：0.313～0.920）。每次饮酒量限制在20g内对胆石症的保护作用最强（OR=0.370,95CI：0.145～0.942）。每周饮酒频率不宜超过7次,饮酒年龄不宜过早,饮酒总年数不宜超过35a。结论 不吸烟、少量或适量饮酒可能对减少男性胆石症患病率有重要作用。     

Air pollution, health, and socio-economic status: the effect of outdoor air quality on childhood asthma

This paper estimates the effect of air pollution on child hospitalizations for asthma using naturally occurring seasonal variations in pollution within zip codes. Of the pollutants considered, carbon monoxide (CO) has a significant effect on asthma for children ages 1-18: if 1998 pollution levels were at their 1992 levels, there would be a 5-14% increase in asthma admissions. Also, households respond to information about pollution with avoidance behavior, suggesting it is important to account for these endogenous responses when measuring the effect of pollution on health. Finally, the effect of pollution is greater for children of lower socio-economic status (SES), indicating that pollution is one potential mechanism by which SES affects health.     

Tuberculosis in Turkey: high altitude and other socio-economic risk factors

BACKGROUND: In Turkey, there are insufficient data regarding the relation between altitude and the incidence of tuberculosis (TB). OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the effect of high altitude and socio-economic conditions on the incidence of TB in Turkey. METHODS: The mean incidence of TB in 56 Turkish cities was measured as n/100,000 population between 1999 and 2005. The mean altitude of each city was recorded in metres. RESULTS: The incidence of TB was lower in cities located at high altitude (P=0.000) and higher in cities with a high population density (P=0.000). Multivariate analysis showed that the incidence of TB in low altitude cities was 3.28-fold higher than in high altitude cities (P=0.000). In cities with a population density >80 people/km(2), the incidence of TB was 4.18-fold higher than in cities with a lower population density (P=0.000) Other factors found to affect the incidence of TB were having a social insurance card and a low annual income. CONCLUSIONS: There was a strong negative correlation between altitude and the incidence of TB, and population density was significantly associated with the incidence of TB. Possession of a social insurance card and fertility rate were also risk factors for TB. The authors believe that altitude has a stronger influence on the incidence of TB than the other factors. The effect of altitude on TB may reveal new data, but further studies need to be undertaken to assess the effects of potential factors on the incidence of TB.     

Education,income, occupational status and health risk behaviour

Aim Socio-economic status is associated with a variety of health-related behaviours. In our study, we determined the independent effects of income, educational attainment and occupational status on overweight, smoking and physical activity in the German population. Subjects and methods The German National Health Interview and Examination Survey is a representative sample of the German adult population and includes 7,124 men and women. Prevalences of obesity, smoking and physical inactivity stratified for education, income and occupational status were calculated. Multiple logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for education, income, occupational status and health-related behaviour, adjusted for age and gender. Results Health risk behaviours were more prevalent in subjects with lower education, income or occupational status. After mutual adjustment, education, income and occupation were independently associated with physical inactivity. Low education was strongly associated with both obesity (OR: 2.58, 95% CI: 1.99–3.34) and smoking (OR: 2.09, 95% CI: 1.71–2.54). Low income was associated with smoking (OR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.07–1.83), but not with obesity, and low occupational status was associated with obesity (OR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.05–1.92), but not with smoking. High income or occupation could not compensate for the impact of low education on obesity and smoking. Conclusion Low socio-economic status is associated with health risk behaviours. Concerning obesity and smoking, education was more important than income or occupational status. Public health programmes to reduce these risk factors should focus on early-life health education.     

吸烟、饮酒与胃癌关系的条件logistic回归分析

目的探索吸烟、饮酒及其交互作用与胃癌发生的关系。方法采用配对病例对照研究,收集了2003年8月~2004年8月303例胃癌新发病例和303例健康对照。对可能的危险因素进行了单因素、调整混杂因素(10年前人均年收入、文化程度、性格、慢性胃部疾病史)的条件lo-gistic回归分析,估计其OR值及95%置信区间。结果调整前后,随着吸烟年数延长、每天吸烟量增大及吸烟包年数增多,胃癌的OR值呈上升趋势(趋势检验,P=0.0214、P=0.0121、P=0.0009)。吸烟年限>30年、每天吸烟量>20支和综合指标吸烟包年数>20者均显示出与胃癌有较强的正关联,其调整后的OR值分别是4.54(95%CI=1.20~17.13)、5.65(95%CI=1.43~22.29)和7.25(95%CI=1.70~30.84);未发现饮酒与胃癌有统计学关联(P=0.242)、未发现调整混杂因素后饮酒与吸烟之间有交互作用,其交互项Waldχ2=0.0276,P>0.05。结论吸烟与胃癌的发病呈正相关;单独饮酒与胃癌发生无明显关系,饮酒并不增加吸烟者患胃癌的风险,两者无协同作用。     

Health literacy among university students in Greece: determinants and association with self-perceived health,health behaviours and health risks

Background

Health literacy is widely considered as a key determinant of health and a priority in the public health policy agenda. Low health literacy has been associated with poorer health states, broader inequalities and higher health systems’ costs. In the present study we bring into focus the functional health literacy among university students in Greece, researching and assessing mainly their ability to apply basic knowledge in a health context.

Methods

The study was carried out during the period 15–30 April 2013, among a random sample of 1,526 students of 14 Higher Tertiary Public universities and Technological Educational Institutes in Greece. The objective of the study was to assess the functional health literacy among university students in Greece, adopting the short four-item comprehension test of Bostock and Steptoe. Summary statistics, correlations and regressions were used to assess the determinants of health literacy and the association with self-perceived health, health behaviours and health risks.

Results

Economic factors, such as family income, demographic factors, such as gender, and health behaviours and risks, namely consumption of alcohol, smoking and physical workout are associated with the level of health literacy and health status of the participant. While the results of the study are consistent with previous work in this area, several findings worth further research.

Conclusions

Though, health promotion interventions in Greece include health literacy as one of the basic pillars of the public health policy agenda, it is clear, that health literacy needs to become a key policy issue in Greece, mainly focusing in young ages, where healthy (or unhealthy) behaviours are established affecting the health through the life span.     

Associations among health-related behaviours: sociodemographic variation in Finland

SummaryObjectives The study examines sociodemographic variation in associations and co-occurrence of health behaviours that contribute to multifactorial chronic diseases.Methods Mantel-Haenszel odds ratios were used to examine pairwise associations among smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, and diet across categories of sociodemographic characteristics. Breslow-Day test for homogeneity was used to test for sociodemographic differences. In addition, co-occurrence of each two unhealthy behaviours was examined across sociodemographic groups using nationwide population survey data from 26 014 Finnish adults.Results Most of the health behaviours examined were interrelated and sociodemographic differences in the associations were few. Differences were inconsistent for all sociodemographic characteristics. Variation was observed only in the strength of the associations, not in their direction. However, due to unequal distribution of the individual behaviours, cooccurrence of unhealthy behaviours varied strongly across sociodemographic groups.Conclusions Associations between health behaviours were relatively similar across sociodemographic groups. Since co-occurrence of unhealthy behaviours depends on the prevalence of individual unhealthy behaviours and the strength of their association, their co-occurrence in any particular sociodemographic group was primarily determined by the prevalence of individual unhealthy behaviours.

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ZusammenfassungFragestellung Gegenstand der Untersuchung war die soziodemographische Variation im Zusammenhang und bei gleichzeitigem Auftreten von Gesundheitsverhaltensweisen, die zu chronischen Krankheiten beitragen.Methoden Mantel-Haenszel-Odds-Ratios wurden verwendet, um Zusammenhänge zwischen Rauchen, Alkoholkonsum, physischer Aktivität und Diät in den Kategorien mit soziodemographischen Merkmalen paarweise zu untersuchen. Der Breslow-Day-Homogenitätstest wurde benutzt, um soziodemographische Unterschiede zu untersuchen. Ausserdem wurde das gleichzeitige Auftreten von zwei ungesunden Verhaltensweisen in den soziodemographischen Gruppen anhand von Daten untersucht, die bei einer Bevölkerungsuntersuchung an 26 014 finnischen Erwachsenen landesweit erhoben wurden.Ergebnisse Die meisten überprüften Gesundheitsverhaltens-weisen standen in einem Zusammenhang miteinander, aber die Zusammenhänge zeigten nur wenige soziodemographische Unterschiede auf. Die Unterschiede waren für alle soziodemographischen Merkmale inkonsistent. Unterschiede wurden nur in der Intensität der Zusammenhänge, nicht in ihrer Richtung festgestellt. Aufgrund der ungleichmässigen Verteilung der individuellen Verhaltensweisen variierte ein gleichzeitiges Auftreten von ungesunden Verhaltensweisen jedoch stark innerhalb der soziodemographischen Gruppen.Schlussfolgerungen Die Zusammenhänge zwischen den gesundheitlichen Verhaltensweisen innerhalb der soziodemographischen Gruppen waren verhältnismässig gleich. Da gleichzeitiges Auftreten von ungesunden Verhaltensweisen vom Auftreten von individuellen ungesunden Verhaltensweisen und von der intensität ihrer Zusammenhänge abhängt, wurde ihr gleichzeitiges Auftreten in einer speziellen soziodemographischen Gruppe hauptsächlich beim Auftreten von individuellen ungesunden Verhaltensweisen festgestellt.

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RésuméObjectifs L'étude porte sur la variation socio-démographique des associations et co-occurrences des comportements liés à la santé contribuant à des maladies chroniques multifactorielles.Méthodes L'odds-ratio de Mantel-Haenszel a été utilisé pour examiner par paires des associations entre le tabagisme, la consommation d'alcool, l'activité physique et les régimes alimentaires dans plusieurs catégories socio-démographiques. Le test d'homogénéité de Breslow-Day a été utilisé pour les différences socio-démographiques. En outre, la co-occurrence de deux comportements nuisibles à la santé a été examinée par catégorie socio-démographique en utilisant des données concernant 26 014 adultes finlandais.Résultats La plupart des comportements examinés étaient interconnectés et les différences socio-démographiques peu nombreuses. Les différences n'étaient pas en relation directe avec les caractéristiques socio-démographiques. Des variations ont été observées dans l'intensité des associations mais non dans leur direction. Cependant, en raison de la distribution inégale des comportements individuels, la co-occurrence des comportements nuisibles à santé variait fortement entre les groupes socio-démographiques.Conclusions La co-occurrence des comportements nuisibles à la santé dans tous les groupes socio-démographiques était principalement déterminée par la prédominance des comportements individuels.

     

Associations between the built environment and physical activity among adults with low socio-economic status in Canada: a systematic review

ObjectiveTo synthesize literature on the associations between the built environment and physical activity among adults with low socio-economic status (SES) in Canada.MethodsUsing a pre-specified study protocol (PROSPERO ID: CRD42019117894), we searched seven databases from inception to November 2018, for peer-reviewed quantitative studies that (1) included adults with low SES living in Canada and (2) estimated the association between self-reported or objectively measured built characteristics and self-reported or objectively measured physical activity. Study quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. Findings were synthesized using a narrative approach.SynthesisOf the 8338 citations identified by our search, seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Most studies included adults living in one province (Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, or Quebec), with one study including a national sample. All studies were cross-sectional, and none controlled for residential self-selection. Sampling designs and data collection strategies were heterogeneous. Sample sizes ranged between 78 and 37,241 participants. Most studies measured SES using household income. Street connectivity, greenness, destination density, and walkability were positively associated with physical activity. Relative to the objectively measured built environment, associations between the self-reported built environment and physical activity were less consistent. Studies were of fair to good quality.ConclusionFindings suggest that the neighbourhood built environment is associated with physical activity among adults with low SES in Canada. More rigorous study designs are needed to determine whether or not the built environment and physical activity are causally related within this vulnerable population.     

杭州市城区中学生健康危险行为调查

目的了解杭州市城区中学生在生活方式及健康行为中普遍存在的问题,为教育和卫生行政部门制定中学生健康促进计划提供科学依据。方法采取分层随机抽样的方法,对杭州市城区721名初一年级和高二年级学生进行生活方式和健康行为的问卷调查。结果杭州市城区中学生不健康行为较普遍,初一学生吸烟、饮酒率分别为9.7%,12.3%,高二学生吸烟、饮酒率分别为41.0%,62.9%;抑郁、紧张、脾气暴躁在初一学生中出现的比例为63.7%,高二学生为91.7%。绝大多数学生(97.6%)认为自己需要接受更多的健康教育。结论杭州市中学生吸烟、饮酒报告率较高,睡眠不足,缺乏体育锻炼,心理问题也较突出。应加强宣传吸烟、饮酒的健康危害,改变学生不良生活方式,提倡健康行为。     

Recurrent pain in children, socio-economic factors and accumulation in families

The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of parent-reported pain among children in the Nordic countries in 1996, and to describe the association between recurrent pain in children and parental socio-economic factors. We also wanted to estimate the association between parental pain and childhood pain and co-occurrence of different pain patterns in the same child. Data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey on children's health and well-being in the Nordic countries in 1996. About 10, 000 children aged 2–17 years of age were selected from population registries. Mean response rate was 68%. We selected the cases 7 years where the respondent was the child's biological mother or father, yielding a total of 6230 subjects. The adjusted analyses were performed using logistic regression in SPSS. The total prevalence of headache, abdominal pain and back pain among children 7–17 years of age was 14.9, 8.3 and 4.7%, respectively. The most common pain combination was headache and abdominal pain. Pain was most frequent among girls. The prevalence was slightly higher in low educated or low-income families compared to those of high status. Children living in low educated, low-income, worker families had approximately a 1.4-fold odds of having pain. There was a strong association between the different pain conditions, and between pain and other forms of distress in the same child. A site-specific association between parental and child pain was also shown, but we assume that this might have been mediated through subjective (information) bias.     

沈阳市城区高中生健康相关危险行为现状

目的了解沈阳市高中生健康相关危险行为现状,为开展健康教育和制定干预措施提供科学依据。方法在沈阳市城区9所高中分层抽取1 800名学生,采用匿名问卷方式调查最近1 a内的健康相关危险行为。结果高中生普遍存在健康相关危险行为,有63.28%的高中生不经常进行体育锻炼,38.83%不遵守交通规则,5.50%曾经离家出走,1.94%曾经尝试自杀,1.17%曾经使用毒品,2.67%的高中生发生过性行为。结论高中生存在多种易导致伤害的危险行为,应开展相关健康教育并制定干预措施,以提高学生健康水平。     

Characterising socio-economic inequalities in exposure to air pollution: a comparison of socio-economic markers and scales of measurement

This study examines traffic-related air pollution in London in relation to area- and individual-level socio-economic position (SEP). Mean air pollution concentrations were generally higher in postcodes of low SEP as classified by small-area markers of deprivation (Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) domains) and by the postcode-level ACORN geodemographic marker. There were exceptions, however, including reversed directions of associations in central London and for SEP markers relating to education. ACORN predicted air pollution independently of IMD and explained additional variation at the postcode level, indicating the potential value of using both markers in air pollution epidemiology studies. By contrast, after including IMD and ACORN there remained little relationship between air pollution and individual-level SEP or smoking, suggesting limited residual socio-economic confounding in epidemiological studies with comprehensive area-level adjustment.     

Health behaviours, risk-taking and conceptual changes among schoolchildren aged 7 to 19 years in semi-rural Sweden

Background This study covers a broad age group (7–19 years) and includes a wide range of themes. The aim is to describe how various behaviours, complaints and conceptual changes come into play and to discuss the factors that might support or hamper the happiness and well‐being of growing children and adolescents. We also discuss the implications of our findings for future prevention programmes. Methods This cross‐sectional study included all schoolchildren in a semi‐rural district in Sweden (2181 pupils). A structured classroom questionnaire was used but the children were also given the opportunity to describe in their own words what was important for their happiness and well‐being. Results Mean response rate was 85%. Most changes in behaviour occurred between 11 and 14 years of age. Girls had a more rapid process of change than boys. Both girls and boys experienced stress in their relations with peers, parents and teachers. Gender differences in emotional support were prominent. Regardless of age and sex, all schoolchildren asked for a richer choice of leisure time activities, a place where they could meet with friends and caring teachers, parents and adults in the surrounding community. Conclusions Adolescence was perceived as a risky and problematic period not only by adults but also by the adolescents themselves. However, the perceived risks and the worries differed. While the adults mainly worried about the early onset of smoking and drug use, the schoolchildren worried about their social situation and their personal relationships. After decades of preventive programmes in Swedish schools, only modest results are seen. To be effective, future preventive programmes probably have to focus more on the conceptual world of the growing child.     

Age-period-cohort Analysis of Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Using the National Health and Nutrition Survey in Japan

ObjectivesThis study conducted an age-period-cohort (APC) analysis of trends in healthy lifestyle behaviors in Japan.MethodsWe used National Health and Nutrition Survey data on salt intake and prevalence of smoking, drinking, and physical activity between 1995 and 2018 in Japan. Age groups were defined from 20 years to 69 years old in 10-year increments. Cohorts were defined for each age group of each year with a 1-year shift, and cohorts born in 1926-1935 (first cohort) until 1989-1998 (last cohort) were examined. We conducted a Bayesian APC analysis, calculating estimated values for each behavior by age group, period, and cohort.ResultsEstimated salt intake decreased from cohorts born in the 1930s to the 1960s, but increased thereafter in both genders, and the magnitude of increase was larger for men. Estimated smoking prevalence increased in the cohorts starting from the 1930s for men and the 1940s for women, and then decreased starting in the cohorts born in the 1970s for both genders. Although estimated drinking prevalence decreased starting in the cohorts born in approximately 1960 for men, for women it increased until the cohorts born in approximately 1970. Estimated physical activity prevalence decreased starting in the cohorts born in the 1940s in both genders, but the magnitude of decrease was larger for women.ConclusionsTrends in cohort effects differed by gender, which might be related to changes in the social environment for women. Improvements in dietary and exercise habits are required in more recently born cohorts of both genders.