Incidence of type-2 diabetes mellitus in a large population of Japanese male white-collar workers

Abstract 

Since occupation, a major socio-economic factor, may be a risk factor for type-2 diabetes mellitus (DM), we compared DM incidence among four groups of white-collar workers in a follow-up study in 13,547 Japanese men. The subjects aged 30–59 years and free from DM at baseline consisted of: (a) 3725 clerical, (b) 5575 technical/professional, (c) 3474 manager/administrative and (d) 774 sales workers. Incident DM was identified by ‘fasting serum glucose ≥7.00mmol/l’ or ‘under medical treatment for DM’. Hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for incident DM were estimated using clerical workers as the reference group (HR=1.00). Baseline age, body mass index (BMI), drinking, smoking, exercise and education were computed as confounders. During mean follow-up periods of 7.4 years, 176 clerical, 264 technical/professional, 195 manager/administrative and 49 sales workers developed DM (6.0, 6.1, 8.8 and 9.4 per 1000 person-years, respectively). Sales workers aged 40–49 and 50–59 years had increased multivariate-adjusted HRs (95% CIs) of 1.55 (1.02, 2.35) and 2.01 (0.98, 4.10), respectively. Manager/administrative workers aged 50–59 years had an increased crude HR (95% CI) of 1.64 (1.02, 2.63), but the significance disappeared after BMI-adjustment (HR (95% CI: 1.46 (0.91, 2.35)). Technical/professional workers had no significant HR in any model. In conclusion, sales workers in Japan aged ≥40 years may have increased risk for DM (+55 to +100%) independent of BMI, lifestyles and education, and manager/administrative workers aged ≥50 years may have increased risk (about +65%) due to their large BMI.

Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, Incidence, Occupation, White-collar workers, Follow-up study