Objectives-To explore how metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) diVer between shift workers and day workers in a defined population. Shift work has been associated with an increased risk of CVD. Risk factors and causal pathways for this association are only partly known. Methods-A working population of 27 485 people from the Västerbotten intervention program (VIP) has been analysed. Cross sectional data, including blood sampling and questionnaires were collected in a health survey. Results-Obesity was more prevalent among shift workers in all age strata of women, but only in two out of four age groups in men. Increased triglycerides (>1.7 mmol/l) were more common among two age groups of shift working women but not among men. Low concentrations of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (men<0.9 and women<1.0 mmol/l) were present in the youngest age group of shift workers in both men and women. Impaired glucose tolerance was more often found among 60 year old women shift workers. Obesity and high triglycerides persisted as risk factors in shift working men and women after adjusting for age and socioeconomic factors, with an OR of 1.4 for obesity and 1.1 for high triglyceride concentrations. The relative risks for women working shifts versus days with one, two, and three metabolic variables were 1.06, 1.20, and 1.71, respectively. The corresponding relative risks for men were 0.99, 1.30, and 1.63, respectively. Conclusions-In this study, obesity, high triglycerides, and low concentrations of HDL cholesterol seem to cluster together more often in shift workers than in day workers, which might indicate an association between shift work and the metabolic syndrome. (Occup Environ Med 2001;58:747-752)

OBJECTIVE -To investigate whether hyperglycemia is associated with increased cancer risk. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS -In the VästerbottenIntervention Project of northern Sweden, fasting and postload plasma glucose concentrations were available for 33,293 women and 31,304 men and 2,478 incident cases of cancer were identified. Relative risk (RR) of cancer for levels of fasting and postload glucose was calculated with the use of Poisson models, with adjustment for age, year of recruitment, fasting time, and smoking status. Repeated measurements 10 years after baseline in almost 10,000 subjects were used to correct RRs for random error in glucose measurements.RESULTS -Total cancer risk in women increased with rising plasma levels of fasting and postload glucose, up to an RR for the top versus bottom quartile of 1.26 (95% CI 1.09 -1.47) (P trend Ͻ0.001) and 1.31 (1.12-1.52) (P trend ϭ 0.001), respectively. Correction for random error in glucose measurements increased these risks up to 1.75 (1.32-2.36) and 1.63 (1.26 -2.18), respectively. For men, corresponding uncorrected RR was 1.08 (0.92-1.27) (P trend ϭ 0.25) and 0.98 (0.83-1.16) (P trend ϭ 0.99), respectively. Risk of cancer of the pancreas, endometrium, urinary tract, and of malignant melanoma was statistically significantly associated with high fasting glucose with RRs of 2.49 (1.23-5.45) (P trend ϭ 0.006), 1.86 (1.09 -3.31) (P trend ϭ 0.02), 1.69 (0.95-3.16) (P trend ϭ 0.049), and 2.16 (1.14 -4.35) (P trend ϭ 0.01), respectively. Adjustment for BMI had no material effect on risk estimates.CONCLUSIONS -The association of hyperglycemia with total cancer risk in women and in women and men combined for several cancer sites, independently of obesity, provides further evidence for an association between abnormal glucose metabolism and cancer. Diabetes Care 30:561-567, 2007T ype 2 diabetes, an extreme state of glucose intolerance, is associated with elevated plasma levels of glucose and insulin, both before and after its diagnosis, and is associated with an increased risk of cancers of the liver, pancreas, colon, endometrium, kidney, and breast (1,2). Less is known, however, about the effect on cancer risk of moderately elevated glucose levels among nondiabetic subjects.Recently, total cancer risk was reported to be modestly increased in women and men with elevated levels of fasting glucose in a very large cohort study of 1.3 million Korean men and women with 53,833 incident cases of cancer (3). Five substantially smaller prospective studies (4 -8) with a total number of ϳ11,000 incident cases of cancer also have reported data on associations between fasting or postload glucose and cancer incidence or mortality. Here, we report the results from a prospective study in northern Sweden, with the aim to estimate the relationship of hyperglycemia, as measured by fasting and postload glucose, with the risk of cancer overall and the risk of cancer at specific organ sites. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The Northern Sweden Health and Disease CohortThe Västerbotten Interventio...

We found a significant association between shift work and lipid disturbances (i.e. low HDL-cholesterol and high triglyceride levels). We did not find any association with hyperglycaemia.

Background/Objectives-Short-term studies have suggested beneficial effects of a Palaeolithic-type diet (PD) on body weight and metabolic balance. We now report long-term effects in obese postmenopausal women of a PD on anthropometric measurements and metabolic balance, in comparison with a diet according to the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR).

The purpose of this paper is, first, to describe the organization, sampling procedures, availability of samples/database, ethical considerations, and quality control program of the Northern Sweden Health and Disease Study Cohort. Secondly, some examples are given of studies on cardiovascular disease and diabetes with a focus on the biomarker programme. The cohort has been positioned as a national and international resource for scientific research.

BackgroundSick-leave because of mental and behavioural disorders has increased considerably in Sweden since the late nineties, and especially in women. The aim of this study was to assess the level of burnout in the general working population in northern Sweden and analyse it's relation to working conditions and gender.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study the survey from the MONICA-study (Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease) in northern Sweden 2004 was used. A burnout instrument, the Shirom Melamed Burnout Questionnaire (SMBQ), was incorporated in the original survey which was sent to a random sample of 2500 individuals with a response rate of 76%. After including only actively working people, aged 25-64 years, our study population consisted of 1000 participants (497 women and 503 men). ANOVA and multiple linear regression models were used.ResultsThe prevalence of a high level of burnout (SMBQ >4.0) was 13%. Women had a higher level of burnout than men with the most pronounced difference in the age group 35-44 years. In both sexes the level of burnout decreased with age. Demand and control at work, and job insecurity were related to burnout. In women the level of education, socioeconomic position, work object, and working varying hours were of importance. Interaction effects were found between sex and work object, and sex and working hours. In a multiple regression analysis almost half of the gender difference could be explained by work related and life situational factors.ConclusionsWorking life conditions contributed to the level of burnout in this actively working sample from the general population in northern Sweden. Especially in women, socioeconomic position was associated with burnout. The high level of burnout in women compared to men was partly explained by more unfavourable working conditions and life situational factors. Efforts to level out gender differences in burnout should probably focus on improving both working and socioeconomic conditions for women.

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