The Influence of Family History of Ischemic Heart Disease on Healthy Behaviors

Abstract

Background: Family history of ischemic heart disease (IHD) and unhealthy behaviors are known to be risk factors for IHD. In this study, we investigated the association between family history of IHD and healthy behaviors among Korean adults. Methods: We used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2016-2018. This retrospective study included 13,068individuals over the age of 20 who responded to food intake frequency questions and family history surveys. The participants were divided into two groups according to family history of IHD. Chi-square test and t-test were conducted to analyze the association between IHD family history and socio-demographic characteristics, other family history, and personal history of chronic diseases. In addition, the relationship between family history and healthy behaviors was analyzed through multivariate logistic regression. Results: Of the 13,068 participants, 729 (5.6%) had a family history of IHD. The presence of a family history of IHD was not significantly associated with smoking (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.78-1.32), risky drinking (aOR, 1.23; 95% CI, 0.94-1.61), insufficient physical activity (aOR, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.91-1.30), daily intake of more than 1,500 grams of sodium (aOR, 1.15; 95% CI, 0.87-1.51), and daily intake of more than 15 grams of saturated fatty acid (aOR, 1.20; 95% CI, 0.99-1.35). Conclusion:The results of this study showed no clear correlation between family history of IHD and healthy behaviors. Therefore, it is important to educate and encourage people to have healthy behaviors, such as smoking, exercise, and diet.