Personality and dietary correlates of coronary heart disease among Indians

Extract

98 cases of first heart attack were selected for the study. The group included 4 patients from business, 24 housewives and 70 from the service class. Ages ranged from 23 to 70 years. The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) and a Diet Inventory were administered. Diet variables included: (a) caffeine (b) saturated fat (c) unsaturated fat, (d) cooking fat, (e) type of milk used, and (f) total fat consumed. Patients were classified as neurotics (67.3% of cases), extroverts (19.4% of cases), and liars (13.3% of cases) on the basis of their EPQ scores (there were no patients classed as psychotics). The three groups differed on tea consumption, cooking fat consumption, and total fat consumption. Neuroticism was associated with “coronary heart disease;” extroversion and lying were related to “heart attack.”

There is evidence from both sides of Atlantic that, with increasing wealth, there is increased consumption of meat, salt, vegetables, refined cereal and an increased intake of alcohol and tobacco (World Health Organisation, 1982). These increases are associated with increased incidence of degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease and hypertension, and all are common causes of death and disability in industrialized countries (World Health Organisation,1982).