Impact of Weight Gain on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Japanese Male Workers

Objective: To evaluate the impact of weight gain on cardiovascular risk factors among younger (25 to 44 years) and older (45 to 64 years) Japanese male workers in terms of population attributable risk percentage (PAR%). Methods: Using the 2008 and 2009 health examination data, 49,587 eligible male workers aged 25 to 64 years were examined for their 1-year changes in body weight and cardiovascular risk factors. Results: Mean weight change was significantly greater than zero in the younger group (+0.27 kg) but not in the older group (-0.08 kg). The PAR% due to weight gain for the development and maintenance of cardiovascular risk factors was estimated at 21.8% and 5.4%, respectively, in the younger and older groups. Conclusions: The age-stratified PAR% estimates suggest that weight gain prevention programs will make greater contributions to cardiovascular health in younger than in older male workers.