The impact of obesity on cardiovascular disease mortality in the District Sumperk, Czech Republic.

OBJECTIVE: The impact of obesity on cardiovascular mortality in the District Sumperk (C2) is assessed. METHODS: A case-control design was selected to study the impact of obesity on cardiovascular mortality among the population of the District Sumperk, Czech Republic. Exposure to obesity was defined as body-mass index (BMI) higher or equal 30. Men and women with BMI lower than 30 were considered nonexposed. Odds ratios were calculated, comparing the probability of exposure among cases and controls. Cases were defined as persons from the studied population who died between 1987-2004, the cause of death being circulatory system diseases. Controls were persons from the studied population who had not died as to December 31, 2004. RESULTS: Cases were more likely to be obese than controls (OR = 1.68; 95% CI 1.56-1.80). In men OR was 1.56 (95% CI 1.40-1.74), in women OR was 1.89 (95% CI 1.72-2.06). The impact of obesity was decreasing with increasing age. CONCLUSIONS: An increased risk of cardiovascular mortality following exposure to obesity was observed. Younger age groups seem to be the important target population for preventive programmes focusing on treatment of obesity.

Preventive oncologic check-ups in the District Sumperk, 1975-1986: the description of a database.

From 1975 through 1986, repeated preventive oncologic check-ups were carried out in the District Sumperk. In the course of the check-ups, 49,426 persons were examined. The examinations were aimed at surveillance of initial stadium of cancers as well as at detection of other serious chronic diseases. The results of the check-ups form a large database suitable for a number of epidemiological analyses. In this article, methods of the data collection are described, individual data items are characterized and their summary is presented in tables. Utilization of the database is proposed in specified types of epidemiological studies.