RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare new chronic diseases onset and longitudinal changes in lifestyle risk factors between Gulf War veterans with different symptom reporting. METHODS: Data were collected from Gulf War veterans over two periods, and participants were grouped according to baseline symptom reporting. Logistic, nominal, and ordinal regressions were used for between-group comparisons. RESULTS: The veterans comprised low, moderate, and high symptom reporters. New onset of sleep apnea [odds ratio (OR)â=â9.49; 95% confidence interval (CI)â=â3.48 to 25.86], musculoskeletal (ORâ=â8.70; 95% CIâ=â4.17 to 18.17), psychological (ORâ=â5.36; 95% CIâ=â2.46 to 11.70), and cardiovascular (ORâ=â3.86; 95% CIâ=â1.33 to 11.23) conditions was elevated in high versus low symptom reporters. Although odds of obesity and alcohol use increased over time and smoking halved, the changes were similar across groups. CONCLUSIONS: These findings show increasing obesity and alcohol use, and indicate that high symptomatology among veterans may predict future disease onset.