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Occupational Medicine 1999;49:177-182
© 1999 Society of Occupational Medicine

research-article

The relationship between waist-to-hip ratio and occupational status and life-style factors among middle-aged male and female Japanese workers

M. Ishizaki*,, Y. Yamada{dagger}, Y. Morikawa{ddagger}, Y. Noborisaka{dagger}, M. Ishida{dagger}, K. Miura{ddagger} and H. Nakagawa{ddagger}

* Health Care Centre, Kanazawa Medical University Ishikawa, 920-0293 Japan
{dagger} Department of Hygiene, Kanazawa Medical University Ishikawa, 920-0293 Japan
{ddagger} Department of Public Health Ishikawa, 920-0293 Japan

As a marker of body fat distribution and therefore level of obesity, the waist-to-hip ratio (W:H) is a good indicator of coronary heart disease risk status. The present study investigated the association between occupational status and life-style factors, and W:H of middle-aged Japanese male (n=2,550) and female (n=1,283) workers in a metal-products factory. A higher W:H was observed in the management level males as compared with the other male workers and we suggest this was promoted by the sedentary aspect of their work, as well as their higher levels of alcohol consumption and lower levels of leisure-time physical activity. In contrast, a higher W:H was recorded in female labourers, whose work was typically less sedentary as compared with female managers. Life-style factors included in the study were not related to this observation. We conclude that other unmeasured psychosocial factors may be important in promoting higher W:H in female labourers.

Keywords      Alcohol consumption; obesity; occupation; physical activity; waist-to-hip ratio

Received       20 July 1998
Accepted       16 November 1998

Correspondence and reprint requests to: M. Ishizaki, Health Care Centre, Kanazawa Medical university, 1-1 Daigaku, Uchinada, Ishikawa, 920-0293 Japan. Tel: (+81) 76-286-2211 (ext. 3023); Fax: (+81) 76-286-9723


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