Spousal similarities in cardiometabolic risk factors: A cross-sectional comparison between Dutch and Japanese data from two large biobank studies

Naoki Nakaya; Tian Xie; Bart Scheerder; Naho Tsuchiya; Akira Narita; Tomohiro Nakamura; Hirohito Metoki; Taku Obara; Mami Ishikuro; Atsushi Hozawa; Harold Snieder; Shinichi Kuriyama

doi:10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2021.08.037

Spousal similarities in cardiometabolic risk factors: A cross-sectional comparison between Dutch and Japanese data from two large biobank studies

Atherosclerosis. 2021 Oct:334:85-92. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2021.08.037. Epub 2021 Aug 26.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan; Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan; Department of Health Science, Saitama Prefectural University, Japan. Electronic address: naoki.nakaya@c2.tohoku.ac.jp.
² Department of Epidemiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.
³ Department of Epidemiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands; Center for Development & Innovation, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
⁴ Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan; Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
⁵ Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
⁶ Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan; Division of Public Health, Hygiene and Epidemiology, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan.
⁷ Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan; Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Japan.
⁸ Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan; Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan; Department of Disaster Public Health, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.

PMID: 34492521
DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2021.08.037

Abstract

Background and aims: Few studies have examined and compared spousal concordance in different populations. This study aimed to quantify and compare spousal similarities in cardiometabolic risk factors and diseases between Dutch and Japanese populations.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 28,265 Dutch Lifelines Cohort Study spouse pairs (2006-2013) and 5,391 Japanese Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization (ToMMo) Cohort Study pairs (2013-2016). Spousal similarities in cardiometabolic risk factors were evaluated using Pearson's correlation or logistic regression analyses adjusted for spousal age.

Results: The husbands' and wives' average ages in the Lifelines and ToMMo cohorts were 50.0 and 47.7 years and 63.2 and 60.4 years, respectively. Significant spousal similarities occurred with all cardiometabolic risk factors and diseases of interest in both cohorts. The age-adjusted correlation coefficients ranged from 0.032 to 0.263, with the strongest correlations observed in anthropometric traits. Spousal odds ratios [95% confidence interval] for the Lifelines vs. ToMMo cohort ranged from 1.45 (1.36-1.55) vs. 1.20 (1.05-1.38) for hypertension to 6.86 (6.30-7.48) vs. 4.60 (3.52-6.02) for current smoking. An increasing trend in spousal concordance with age was observed for sufficient physical activity in both cohorts. For current smoking, those aged 20-39 years showed the strongest concordance between pairs in both cohorts. The Dutch pairs showed stronger similarities in anthropometric traits and lifestyle habits (smoking and drinking) than their Japanese counterparts.

Conclusions: Spouses showed similarities in several cardiometabolic risk factors among Dutch and Japanese populations, with regional and cultural influences on spousal similarities.

Keywords: Anthropometric traits; Cardiometabolic diseases; Lifestyle habits; Risk factors; Spousal similarity.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Biological Specimen Banks*
Cohort Studies
Cross-Sectional Studies
Humans
Hypertension*
Japan / epidemiology
Risk Factors