British office workers have enjoyed a massive reduction in risk of heart disease in spite of putting on weight in the last 25 years, researchers report today.
Reductions in smoking rates and treatment of high cholesterol and blood pressure have made a critical difference in cutting rates of first heart attack by a massive 74 per cent since 1985, according to a major study.
The findings come from a study of nearly 10,000 civil servants in London, UK, between 1985 and 2004 reported in the European Heart Journal.
The researchers found that as well as reduced blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels the civil servants enjoyed an increase in the healthy form of cholesterol, high density lipoprotein.
However there was little evidence of improved diet making a difference. The researchers say eating more fruit and vegetables made a "modest but statistically insignificant" contribution.
There was also no impact from changes in physical activity or consumption of alcohol, the researchers found – although they say they may simply have failed to detect this.
On average, the weight of the civil servants, measured by BMI – body mass index – increased during the period, the researchers found.
Ms Sarah Hardoon, of University College London Medical School, said Britain’s spreading girths now needs "urgent attention."
She said the findings emphasised "the value of the measures taken to combat risky levels of cholesterol and blood pressure, and to promote healthier lifestyles."
She added: "Although these favourable trends seem to have outweighed the negative contribution of rising BMI over recent decades, continued increases in BMI may reduce further, and even reverse, the decline in the incidence of heart attacks in the future.
"Therefore, the rising BMI in the UK and in other countries needs urgent attention."
Rising adiposity curbing decline in the incidence of myocardial infarction: 20-year follow-up of British man and women in the Whitehall II cohort?. European Heart Journal. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehr142
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