Effect of age on the relationship of occupational social class with prevalence of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors amd cardiovascular diseases. A population-based cross-sectional study from European Prospective Investigation into Cancer - Norfolk 9EPIC-Norfolk

Background: Previous studies on cardiovascular risk profile in different socioeconomic status were focused on younger populations and many of them have not been able to take into account age and sex differences. Objectives: To investigate the relationship of occupational social class with the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors and cardiovascular diseases in younger (<65 years) and older (≧65 years) men and women. Methods: A population-based-cross sectional study was conducted in a general community in Norfolk, United Kingdom. Participants were 23,085 men and women aged 40–79 years, recruited from general practice age-sex registers as part of European Prospective Investigation into Cancer-Norfolk (EPIC-Norfolk). The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular diseases were examined. Results: The prevalence of smoking was significantly higher in those in manual social classes particularly in the younger (