Objective 

To determine the influence of some cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking habit, physical activity, obesity, adverse lipid profile) in elderly Chinese aged 70 years and over, on overall mortality and morbidity from stroke and ischaemic heart disease.

Design 

Longitudinal study relating 18-month outcome to baseline values.

Subjects 

2,032 subjects (999 men, 1,033 women), mean age 80 years, recruited by random sampling of the Old Age and Disability Allowance Schemes, which covers 90% of the Hong Kong elderly subjects, stratified by sex and 5-year age groups from 70 years onwards.

Methods 

At baseline, subjects were visited by interviewers to collect information regarding medical conditions, smoking habit, physical activity, and to measure their height, weight, skinfold thickness, and waist/hip ratio.

A follow-up survey was carried out 18 months later to establish the development of any new stroke or ischaemic heart disease, and to note any deaths and the cause of such deaths from death certification.

Results 

In multivariate analysis overall mortality was negatively associated with body mass index and participation in physical activity, after adjusting for age and sex.

Death from stroke was associated with a higher systolic blood pressure at baseline. (...)