Table 2 Deaths prevented or postponed as a result of population risk factor changes in Ireland.
| Risk factors | Relative changes in risk factor* | β regression coefficients | Deaths prevented or postponed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (%) | (%) | (number) | (%) | |
| Positive trends | ||||
| Smoking | −14.2† | 0.51 | 964 | 25.6 |
| Cholesterol | −4.6‡ | 2.46 | 1135 | 30.2 |
| Population BP | −7.2§ | 1.67 | 228 | 6.1 |
| Subtotals | +2327 | +61.9 | ||
| Adverse trends | ||||
| Relative risk | ||||
| Physical inactivity | +4.8¶ | 0.50 | −154 | −4.1 |
| Obesity | +195.1** | 1.57 | −131 | −3.5 |
| Diabetes | +48.0†† | 4.24 | −232 | −6.2 |
| Subtotals | −517 | −13.8 | ||
| Total risk factor effects in 2000 | 1810/3763‡‡ | +48.1 | ||
*Ratio of the absolute difference between 1985 and 2000 to the baseline year (1985), and then weighted to age and sex specific populations. †Smoking prevalence: 1985 (33.6%) and 2000 (28.8%). ‡Total mean cholesterol levels: 1985 (6.02 mmol/l) and 2000 (5.73 mmol/l). §Mean diastolic blood pressure levels: 1985 (81 mm Hg) and 2000 (75 mm Hg). ¶No Irish data available, so based on the UK prevalence data. **Obesity prevalence: 1985 (8%) and 2000 (24%). ††Diabetes prevalence: 1985 (1.7%) and 2000 (2.5%). ‡‡3763 is total observed CHD deaths in 2000, and 1810 is the sum of +2327 and −517 deaths.