Lifestyle Intervention in a General Population for Prevention of Ischaemic Heart Disease

In spite of declining trend coronary heart disease (CHD) is still a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Many years of epidemiological research have identified several risk factors for CHD. The main causes are physical inactivity and inappropriate diet (mediated through high blood pressure, high cholesterol and fatness) and smoking. So far intervention studies on lifestyle factors have shown disappointing results. Inter99 is a randomized non-pharmacological intervention study comprising 61,301 persons representing a well-defined population. About 13,000 are invited for a health examination and assessment of risk for CHD. Those at high risk are offered lifestyle intervention in three waves over a five year period. A priori the group is divided into a high intensive and low intensive intervention group. The remaining 48.285 individuals serve as control. After five years all individuals who attended the base-line examination are re-invited to assess the effect of the intervention on intermediate end-points as lifestyle, absolute risk of CHD and biological risk factors. The total cohort (61.301) is followed through central registers to evaluate the effect of the intervention on use of the health care system and the long term effect on incidence of CHD.