Prevention & lipidsCohort study
Association between high occupational physical workload and ischaemic heart disease, and the influence of cardiorespiratory fitness in 284 436 Swedish men
- Prospective cohort study
- register-based
Authors' conclusion
High occupational physical workload in mid-life was associated with increased risks of IHD incidence and mortality. The combination of low fitness and high workload showed the highest risks.
Study context
- Population
- Swedish men born 1951–1961, workload assessed at age 44–54, followed 2006–2020
- Participants
- 284,436 men
- Exposure
- High vs low occupational physical workload
- Outcome
- Incident IHD and IHD mortality
- Follow-up
- 2006-2020 (age 45-69)
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
High workload vs Low workloadHazard ratio (95% CI)
incident IHD
1.34(1.29–1.39)
IHD mortality
1.93(1.75–2.14)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Incident ischemic heart disease (IHD) and IHD mortality, adjusted for early life factors (e.g. socioeconomic position, BMI, BP, highest attained education)
- Incident IHD, high vs low occupational physical workload, adjusted: HR
- 1.06 (95 % CI 1.02-1.11)
- IHD mortality, high vs low occupational physical workload, adjusted: HR
- 1.38 (95% CI 1.23-1.55)
- associations attenuated but remained statistically significant
Joint low cardiorespiratory fitness in youth and high workload
- Highest risk, indicating an additive interaction, but the synergy index (SI) was non-significant
Original publication
Association between high occupational physical workload and ischaemic heart disease, and the influence of cardiorespiratory fitness in 284 436 Swedish men. Eur J Prev Cardiol. Published 12 June 2025. doi:10.1093/eurjpc/zwaf344
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it